Could This Be Love
by Johanna1
Summary: Updated
1. the Acquaintance

NAME - Johanna(Joey)  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
SPOILERS - None  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have there problems.  
RATING - PG-13  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challange  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 1: the Acquaintance  
  
'It's been five year' Lorelai thought when she looked at her calendar.  
  
It read Saturday 20th Rory home for 2 weeks!  
  
Lorelai couldn't believe that her daughter had gone to Harvard, straight after Chilton. Then Rory moved back home to look for a few jobs 2 and a half years into her very successful job Rory decided to move closer to the area.   
  
Hartford? Out of all the places to find a job, or even live in. Why Hartford? To Rory it was that if she took a job in Stars Hollow, she would be reminded of her high school sweet heart. So she had looked into a town where she didn't know a lot of people.   
  
"Out of all the places to Live?" Lorelai thought out loud to herself.  
  
"Maybe she wanted to get away from her crazy mother" Luke said while entering the kitchen.  
  
Lorelai looked at him and said "Funny, Sure that is exactly what she wanted to do 'instead of stay at home with her crazy mother, why not go to a whole town that is full of even crazier people."  
  
"Well, you never know what she was thinking."  
  
"Or she could have thought that since the nice man from the diner is now living in the Gilmore house there was no room for her."  
  
Luke walked towards her, took her in his arms and kissed her sweetly then said "Maybe that is true, maybe it was because of the nice diner owner, you never know"  
  
With a nod she said, "I know, I am just so happy to have her home. I have missed her."  
  
Without noticing Rory come in during that comment Rory walked slowly towards her mother and said "I miss you too, Mom"  
  
"Rory?"she while still looking at Luke, turning around to look at her "Wow you haven't changed a bit."  
  
"Thanks Mom, hi Luke, How is the diner business?"  
  
Luke tried to make small talk so Rory and her Mom could have some time, "hi Rory, doing good, but it has been a little slow for years since my favorite customer left town."  
  
Lorelai turned to him and said with a stern look "hey I thought I was your favorite costumer?"  
  
Luke looked at her and said, "you know what I meant Lorelai,"  
  
To have that fight not happen Rory found something else to talk about.  
  
"So how is everyone?" She asked.  
  
"Well, honey, who are you asking about in particular? Lane and Henry are doing just great. But you already knew that. Sookie and Jackson are still together, married for 4 years now and expecting. That's about it for everyone that matter's. "  
  
"How about Dad? How is he? Luke, where you're ex now?" Rory stopped at that last remark and started to mumble something under breath. "How's dean?"  
  
"Christopher is fine. Rachel went to the West Indies to get pictures of the area for a paper." She stopped to tell Rory about Dean. "Well, sweetie, Dean lived in Stars Hollow for the last three years, then moved to the Jersey Shore to try this hand as working ... working those cheesy games on the boardwalk."  
  
"I hear that he is losing all of it."  
  
Rory said something sarcastically "Wow, well at least he is doing really well?"  
  
"Sorry Honey."  
  
"Mom, please, I am glad he broke it off when he did. I don't regret any of it. I don't care for him."  
  
Luke then put in his two cents "Wow Rory you are taking this better then I had expected."  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"So have you gone out with anyone lately? Who has your heart now?"  
  
"Mom I am trying to take relationships slow, I mean I dated this one guy last year but then he got transferred.";  
  
"Sorry I keep forgetting"  
  
2 weeks later   
  
Rory and her Mom are saying there last good-bye before Rory leaves.  
  
"I can't believe at how fast it went."" Rory said as if not wanting to leave Lorelai.  
  
"I know but I will call you every Saturday from now on, and we will have to meet for coffee every week. "  
  
"Sounds like a plan." On that note, Rory hugged Lorelai and Luke, got into her '99 jeep Cherokee and drove to her apartment in Hartford.  
  
She got into Hartford around 4 o'clock after leaving Stars Hollow 3:30. She felt hungry, thinking to herself that it was too early for dinner and to late for lunch, so she decided to go to the Cafe in town.  
  
"One large coffee" she had asked the waitress.  
  
By the time waitress came back with her coffee, she heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Coffee, Please,"; she heard him say. When she noticed him she tired to not get recognized by him. It was too late. When she was trying to put herself in her book, she heard him say "Hello Rory,";  
  
"Oh, Tristen, it's been a while," she said while looking into his blue eyes. She noticed that he hasn't changed."How long has it been?"  
  
"Long time Rory, Long time." he said not trying to look like he was interested in her. But that was hard for Tristan, he had feelings for her at Madeline's Party in Sophmore year of High school. He new that they would one day see each other again.  
  
"So, how has life been treating you? Good I can see, you're still standing."   
  
"I'm great" he said while getting comfortable in the seat opposite Rory. " I'm starting a new job in Hartford. It a new part in the attorney firm office."  
  
"Really, you mean Ramdial and Grant? I have been working there for the past 3 and a half years. It's a great start. "   
  
"yeah I should say so, I have seen people from the firm help my father in his hard times."  
  
"I guess we will see a lot of each other." Rory said finishing her coffee and not trying to look to surprise at seeing Tristan at work. 'What am I thinking, no I can't think that. I mean he is nice, but I don't want to get hurt.' she thought to herself.  
  
"I guess we will."  
  
"Well look, It was nice seeing you again Tristan. I have to Run."  
  
"Oh ok, same here. I am moving into an apratment today and I have lot to unpack."  
  
"Oh really, not staying in your parents house?"  
  
" It became all stuffy when I left for college and I thought that I could make a better start in my life with this job."  
  
"Sounds like you have a plan. Well, I will see you at the firm tomorrow." Rory said before leaving the cafe.   
  
Do you love me was playing on the radio when Rory got into her car. It was the first Rory had heard it in a long time. But she had a blast singing to the song. She started singing to the chorus:  
Do you love me, do you love me, do you love me, do you love me.  
Now that I can dance, dance, dance. Watch me now, hey, work, work, work it out baby work, work, you driving me crazy.  
  
At that point in the chorus she had to stop and think about Tristan. She hasn't seen him for years and then all these feelings come pouring out of her. Yes, there was that one time that they could have been more. But Rory didn't know if she was using him as a rebound person after what's his face.  
  
Rory didn't want to think about the past at that moment. She was in the present, and she wants to be there. 


	2. The Coincidence

Chapter 2: The Coincidence  
  
Rory then got to her apartment and settled into her place as if she had never left. Starting with turning on the radio and getting her dinner ready. Doing her normal routine. When she was about to take a bite out of her hamburger helper, she remembers that she didn't check her answering machine. So before starting her meal she pressed the 'listen' button on her machine. "One message" the machine said. Then the message played "Rory, it's the office; I guess I just missed you. I wanted to inform you that you have a partner for the next few cases. You will meet him Monday. Have a great vacation." BEEP!  
  
"That's just great, knowing my luck; it will be a nerdy guy with glasses. I can't wait.'' Rory said with a disappointed look. ''Why do I get stuck with the new one?" She said before finishing dinner.   
  
Rory then got ready for work the next day and for bed. ''I am not going to stress about it.'' She said just after she laid her head onto her pillow. Then fell into a fast sleep.  
  
During the night she had a dream. Rory had dreamt about Tristan. She saw Tristan and herself going out on a date. It was a nice romantic dinner, with candles and music. Then saw the two of them sharing a kiss. Then she saw herself crying about something that a doctor told her.   
  
  
When she woke up, she was all sweaty. The dream was, very sweet until the last part.She didn't know why she was so sweaty, she liked Tristan but did she have feelings for him. Or maybe she was afraid of the fact that something could be wrong. She didn't know.  
  
  
She looked over at her alarm clock which said 6:30. She didn't want to go back to sleep, plus she had a lot to do before she left at 7:30.   
  
She was ready and in her car by 7:29. She wanted to get coffee before being at the firm at 8. So, she went to the cafe got a coffee to go and was on her way to work.   
  
When she stepped foot in the lobby, her boss was already looking for her.   
"Glad your here. You're partner is here in the conference room." Her boss Gene had told her.  
  
"Oh, ok." Rory wasn't that excited about this whole partner deal.   
  
"I hope you two get along with each other. Also that there are as few problems as possible." Gene told her when they were just about to go into the room.   
  
' Can we just get this over with?' Rory said to herself with her boss halfway in the doorway. When Gene and Rory entered the room her heart just stopped right there.   
  
Gene then introduced the two of us. "Rory Gilmore this is Tristan Dugray. Tristan Dugray meet Rory Gilmore."   
  
Tristan acted like he didn't know her but was polite all the same and said "Nice to meet you, Rory Gilmore." Rory knew that Tristan new her name and her. Tristan knew that Rory knew him, but he felt like starting over.   
  
Gene had other stuf to do, so he had to run, but before he left her he said "You two get to know each other I have other business to take care of."  
  
After Gene left Tristan said "I guess we'll see a lot more of each other."  
  
Rory just couldn't believe that out of all the people to have as a partner, why Tristan. He is nice and very sweet, but when Rory heard those words come out of his mouth she just shuddered at them. She didn't know if her day could get any worse. It was only 8:15.  



	3. The Date

Chapter 3: The DateRory and Tristan have worked all week together on their first case. Rory was starting to wonder about Tristan. She had all these feelings flowing through her blood that were about to burst. Maybe Rory wanted to go out with Tristan and was dying for him to ask her.'Or maybe he doesn't like me any more' she thought to herself on her way to work one Friday mourning. "I need caffeine," she said just before coming to the cafe that was half a block away. So she decided to get a coffee there before work. She needed to clean her mind. She thought coffee would do the trick.When she walked into the cafe, She noticed him. Without a thought in her mind she walked right up to him. "Hi, Tristan!" She said."Oh Rory, that's strange I was just thinking about you."Getting comfy in the chair across from him she asked "Really, anything special? Nothing dirty I hope." She had a smirk on her face from ear to ear."Actually, " Tristan stared at her, "Just Kidding."At that they shared a laugh. They both needed it. Tristan was stressing about the case and other things. Rory was just in awe of Tristan; she couldn't stop thinking about him. Once the laughter died down, Rory just couldn't help herself. They were staring into each other's eyes; Rory had an impulse she just went for it, not even thinking. " Would you like to go to a movie tomorrow night.'' She heard herself say. Now all that she was waiting for was a response." Sure, What time?" Tristan was relieved that someone asked someone out. He couldn't stand the tension between them at work. Whenever he had talked about outside activities she would change the subject. "I don't know, maybe, after work you can call me and we could talk about the plans for the date." She couldn't believe that she was considering a date. Those words did come out of her mouth. Maybe she wanted it to be."Yeah, that'd be fine." He was so happy. His dream was coming true. He had the chance to make up all his high school wrongs. All the times he was a jerk to her. "Just give me your number now and I'll give you a call."At that Rory gave Tristan her number with no hesitation. She was glad that they were doing this. Tristan even saw in her face that see was happy. The apples of her cheeks were rosy. Rory even had given him a smile, when she walked in. After that was lifted off their shoulders, they went to work. That day felt like it couldn't have been any longer for Rory. The minutes felt like hours and the hours felt like days. Rory was happy to get out of there when she did. Tristan was acting especially nice, since she had asked him that mourning. Rory rushed into her apartment, to wait for Tristan's phone call. It rang about 30minutes after she had gotten home.She didn't hesitate to pick it up "Hello?" She asked the person on the other line, expecting it to be Tristan. "Hey, Rory?" the familiar person had asked. "Who is this?" She question the person."Sorry to call out of the ordinary, Rory. It's Dean. I am here in Stars Hollow for a few weeks." Dean said. "My parent's wanted to see me, so I thought that when I came up. We could get together."Rory still in shock tried to get the words out. " How...um, how did you get this number?" "Well I bumped into your mother and I asked how you were. Then I asked if she could give me your number. It was tough but she had given in."" Oh, well... Dean this was definitely a surprise. " BEEP! She heard. It was her call waiting. She thought that it could have been Tristan, but she didn't want to hang up on Dean. She then heard herself saying "Dean can you hold on a second?" "Sure" he said.Rory had switched over to the other line. "Hello?" "Rory, It's me Tristan." "Hey, how are you?""Good, just calling about going out tomorrow.""Right," didn't know what to say. She was the one who invited him but now she was acting different around him. "Well, what movie do you want to see?""Anything really, I'll even go see a chick-flick if you really want." He didn't care, he was just happy that she was going out this him. "Ok, well, that's generous of you, how about I'll look in the newspaper.""Ok, what's playing?""There's Scream 6, Forty Days and 39 nights, Oh, also that new movie staring Jon Bon Jovi.""Yeah, Somebody watching over, that new romance with him and Kate Hudson. That looks nice.""Yeah, that's the one." "That sounds good, Jon Bon Jovi is cool.""Absolutely, that sounds good.""So…" Tristan didn't want to stop talking to her."So?" Rory didn't know what to talk about she felt sixteen. "What are doing?""Nothing really…Oh my God… Tristan can you hold on?""Yeah." 'Shit' Rory thought. She had forgotten about Dean on the other line. When she switched lines she hear him. She said "Hello?" She didn't know if he had hung up. "Hey again? Someone trying to call?"" Tristan, oh no, I forgot that I had someone on the other line.""Oh, not there anymore?"" Nope. But you're the only one that I seem to be talking too.""Guess so." Tristan was happy to be talk to her outside of work. He had noticed her at work being a little antsy around him. But he could hear her just starting to get comfortable on the phone. Rory felt like a schoolgirl right about now. She couldn't help but feel giddy, while talking to Tristan. A bit into the conversation lead some music playing in the background. And Rory couldn't help but notice: "Who's that in the background?" "Oh, It's American Hi Fi with Flavor of…." "The Week?" Rory finished his sentence. She had loved that group since they came out. "You like them too?"" Like them, I think that they are gods. The rhythm is very hard rock, and their lyrics are very true. That song was my song. I love it." Tristan couldn't believe Rory's taste in music. Liking everything from the Bangles (a band he liked through his mom), to XTC, American Hi Fi to Lifehouse to Pink Floyd to Luscious Jackson. Rory couldn't believe at how long they have been talking from 9 o'clock to 11:30. Talking about everything. What things they did in college. They talked about whom they have kept in touch with from school. Rory didn't want the conversation to end but all of a sudden she started to yawn into the phone." I'm sorry to keep you up." Tristan said in his sweet voice, "I'll let you go."" No Tristan I am sorry, to be so rude. But if you are sure you want to get off then I'll let you go. I mean I am not that tired." She said ending off the thought with another yawn. "Plus we haven't decided where to meet before the movie."" Well, then that is the last thing that we are going to talk about. Because you need you're beauty rest." Tristan said in his angelic voice. " We could meet at about seven in front of the coffee house. We will go backwards. In the date." " Ok, but backwards how?" Before she could have explained to him, he understood and said, " So, we'll start with Coffee then the movie then dinner. Sounds like a plan." " Yup, well I think I am going to go, Good Night Tristan."" Sure Rory, Good night, sweet dreams."There were definitely sweet dreams for Rory after she had gotten off the phone with Tristan. ~~~~~~6:30 Saturday~~~~~~Rory was getting ready for her date with Tristan. She couldn't decide what to wear. She was screaming at her closet, she didn't have anything nice that Tristan hadn't seen her in. She wanted this night to go as planned and to be just perfect. She also wanted to be comfortable. So, she took her nicest pair of jeans and a comfy sweater and got dressed. By 6:50 she was ready to go. When she got to the coffee shop she was a little nervous. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't even move. She just had to get it together. He looked at his watch. Tristan had gotten there a whole half hour early. He was so ready for his date with Rory. He even had trouble sleeping the night before. It's about a minute to seven, he was really excited. After he checked his watch for a second time. He heard a noise. It was the bells on the door. In the doorway stood a vision, he just couldn't help but stare at. Rory stood in the door, motionless. Had she have made a mistake? But why was she questioning, now? ' Just go for it ' she told herself. So, she made her way towards Tristan.They didn't say anything for a second. They just stared into each other's eyes. Rory didn't rethink her decision for one minute. Rory had another one. An impulse. After she did it she couldn't believe it. She thought it was appropriate for the date. She had kissed him. They didn't know what to say to each other at that moment until Tristan broke the silence. " Wow! " was all that he could say. " Yeah. "" Do you want coffee?" " Sure," she said, " Hi."" Hello, how are you?"" I great, so much better."" That's good, because if you were sick I wouldn't have been able to take you out or even take care of you. I don't even know where your apartment building is."" Oh, well, I'll tell you later."" Rory?" he questioned her. "Are you ok? You are kind of acting a little strange."" Tristan, what to do mean?" At that she started to simply graze his arm with her hand. Which was actually giving Tristan goose bumps, but only the good ones." Well, this for example," pointing to her hand on his arm. " Its fine with me, but I would have never expected it from you." Making his point across. Then he started saying, "Have you been drinking?"At that Rory drew her arm away from Tristan's. "I'm sorry Tristan, wait, actually I am not! God, I thought you liked an aggressive girl, someone who acts on impulse but now I don't know what to think."" Rory, I like you for you. I like the Rory Gilmore I work with and the Rory Gilmore that you were in school. Maybe I had feelings for that kind of girl years ago, doesn't mean that I want a girl like that now. You know what happened the last time I had a girl like that of in my life." " That's sweet of you Tristan to think of me. I mean I haven't changed I thought you didn't either so, I guess I was putting on a show for you.""Rory, you don't have to put on a show for me. I don't need one, I never need one coming from you."" Ok, so when do you want to go see the movie?"" Now's good. I think we will beat the line, we'll take my car."" That's true, ok."~~~~~At the Movie Theater~~~~~~  
  
"I am glad you asked me out Rory."  
  
"I am glad that you accepted." She said with a blush come over her cheeks.  
  
Tristan, trying not to get into another silent moment between Rory, he decided to talk about the movie, before it started. "So I had heard good things about this Movie.""Oh yeah, same here, Bon Jovi's character and the main girl are supposed to be friends since high-school." "Hmm that sounds familiar." "Yeah, it does doesn't."After a few minutes of silence Tristan had to ask. " So, Are you having fun, tonight?" " Well, if your wondering if I am planning on going to run out in the middle of everything and throw myself into an active volcano, I don't think I would."  
"But you did consider it, Rory."   
"Yeah I guess I did, but then you smiled."  
  
"Well, I'm glad I did." At that the theater lights started to go down and the previews went on the screen. Then the movie started. For about 2 ½ hours there was no talking between the two of them. But once Tristan and Rory saw a kissing scene at the beginning of the movie, Tristan took his hand and put it in Rory. All she could do was blush.  
  
Once the Movie was over they started to head to Tristan's car. "So ,did you like it?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah, but I didn't like the ending."  
  
"You mean, when the high-school sweetheart from the same town takes her back?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess it was too played out in movies." "You agree with me? Thank god I mean I live romance conflict movies, it's just I couldn't stand it in this one."  
  
"Absolutely." He said while opening up the door for Rory. "I mean her boyfriend was nice but I think I can feel for her friend who had feelings for her, right under her nose, no less." Once he finished that he got into his side and started the car and put on the radio.  
  
Tristan had left it on the oldie station, so once it turned on it started to play Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You. Then without a thought in his mind he started to speak the words to her.  
  
"You're just to good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You'd be like heaven to touch, I wanna hold you so much."  
  
"Huh?" Was all that she could say.  
  
"At long last love has arrived, and I thank god you're alive."   
  
"Tristan, what are you doing?" she said as he pulled her closer to him with the car still in park.  
  
"You're just to good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you." At that he froze and stared at Rory in the eyes. She has beautiful eyes he thought. He had no idea what to say. He had turned his eyes away from her to check what time it was. "It's 11:15! That movie was pretty long."  
  
"I guess I wasn't checking the time." She said with a disappointing look. Tristan started to put the car in drive to go get dessert, when she stopped his hand. She wanted to get his attention, so she took his hand and looked straight ahead and asked….  



	4. Reconsidering

TITLE- Could This Be Love (part4)  
  
NAME-Johanna  
  
E-MAIL- Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS- none  
  
SUMMARY- predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING-PG-13  
  
CONTENT- some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER- Rory/Tristan  
  
DISCLAIMER-I don't own any of the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman- Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE-Will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 4: Reconsidering  
  
Rory asked, "Tristan, You know that this was meant strictly as a friends date?"  
  
"I wouldn't have had it any other way." He said with a straight face. He tried to hold in his emotions after that whole Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You scene.  
  
"Good, because things are a little complicated now."  
  
"Rory, No need to explain."  
  
"I'm so glad that you understand."  
  
While looking at the road in front of them, Tristan asked, "So, do you want to go home?"  
  
"Yeah, just drop me off at my car by the coffee shop."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"I had fun tonight as friends."  
  
"Yeah, same here except for those time when you threw out a come-on."  
  
"I'm sorry about that," Tristan looked like he was about to say something when Rory stopped him, "I wanted the date to be something different at the beginning. I should never had made those advances. The movie has made all my thoughts get cloudy."  
  
"Rory, like I said before, No need to explain."  
  
"I hope you aren't upset." Was all she could say before getting out of his car and getting into her own.  
  
With a straight face again, but this time he looked at her, and gave her a smile, "Really Rory. I'm fine. Have a good night."  
  
"You too, Tristan."  
  
~~~~~At her Apartment~~~~~  
  
Once Rory got to her apartment she went to check her messages. *You have 2 Messages* it said in a robotic voice. * 1st message * it said then started to play the message.  
  
"Hi Rory, It's mom. How are you? Well I was in town today and you are never going to believe who I saw. That's right, Dean. To tell you the truth, because Luke is making me, I knew that he was in town since Wednesday. I didn't know how to tell you, I'm sorry. But anyway, Luke and I are going to your grandparents tonight and I thought that you might like to come. Call me soon, if you can.I love you."  
  
Rory didn't bother to hear the message again. So she left it and let the second message run. It started to play * 2nd Message* " Rory.um. Hi, it's Dean again. So, what are you up too? I'm just sitting here waiting for your phone cal. But yeah, ok, that was lame. So, I was wondering if you would like to join me and my sister and her boyfriend tomorrow for the afternoon. There is this play in Hartford that I thought that you might enjoy. We you can get in touch with my at 822-8194."  
  
Rory didn't know what to do. 'The Date' was great; it wouldn't be a bad thing if she goes to the play tomorrow. They aren't serious. She decided to call Dean and talk to him about the play. It took about 3 rings to get through. "Hello," the person on the other line said.  
  
"Hi this is Rory, is Dean there?"  
  
"Hi Rory, hold on."  
  
"Thanks." She said, she was getting a bit nervous about going out with Dean.  
  
"Dean, here?"  
  
"Hi Dean, It's Rory."  
  
"Hi, so you got my message? I thought that you were backing out."  
  
"Yeah, I got your message, actually, just a second ago." She had gotten a little ticked at that remark. As if she was staying at home just waiting for his message, she is not a puppy.  
  
"Oh, sorry, so what are you doing tomorrow?"  
  
"Well, if the offer still stands I would like to come to the play."  
  
"Sure, well, how about I pick you up, with my sister and her boyfriend. Then we could go over the play."  
  
"Yeah, that's fine." She was all of a sudden getting comfortable about this. "So I guess I will see you tomorrow?"  
  
"Tomorrow at noon then. Oh, I almost forgot, tell me where you live."  
  
"Oh right, umm. Its apartment buildings, well more like condominiums. Called Elite, I'm in building 4; there are 6 buildings, with 2 floors and 4 apartments on each floor. Room D-4. It's really not that hard to find."  
  
"So tomorrow then. Bye Rory."  
  
"Bye, Dean." Once she got off the phone with him she was very excited. She decided to go to bed; she thought that the night couldn't get any worse.  
  
She had a little trouble sleeping again, though. She had this dream that she couldn't forget. She was in the parking lot in the middle of the day. She was just standing there getting ready to get into her car until, this big muscular hand touches her shoulder and turns her around. She sees that it is Dean, he starts kissing her, but she pushes him away. Then they start to bicker about her being with another guy now, and Dean won't accept it. He gets so mad he pushes her into the car door and storms off. After having that dream she woke up again all sweaty, that is the second time in one week.  
  
While sitting up in her bed she didn't know what to do. She just sat there staring at her phone, taking into consideration calling Dean and telling him that she couldn't go to the play. But she couldn't do that; it was to late to call his house. So, she decided to try to fall back asleep.  
  
~~~~~Outside her Apartment~~~~~  
  
It was about 12 Rory was waiting outside her apartment building for Dean. She thought that it would be best if he didn't come up to her apartment. While waiting for Dean, she saw Tristan. She saw him, but he didn't actually see her. She couldn't believe out of all the apartments in all of Hartford, he is in the came community as Rory. He was going to get his mail in front of Apartment building 3. After she had noticed him go into his building Dean and his sister pulled up.  
  
"Hi Dean, Hi Clara." She said as she got into the car.  
  
"Hi Rory, boy you have a good memory." Clara said.  
  
"Thanks"  
  
"So have you been waiting outside long? I didn't tell you too." Dean asked  
  
"I know but I thought that it would take up too much time, with coming inside to get me."  
  
"That's true Dean. Rory, I want you to meet my boyfriend Chris."  
  
""Hi Chris," she said. "Nice to meet you."  
  
"Back atcha."  
  
"So, What play are we going to see?"  
  
"Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew." Dean answered still concentrating on the road.  
  
"Oh, that's my favorite. What's you favorite Shakespearean play?" directing the question to everyone in the car.  
  
Chris was the first to respond. "Much ado about nothing."  
  
"My favorite would have to be Romeo and Juliet." Clara told Rory, "Its so romantic. What about you Dean?"  
  
"My favorite Shakespearean play would have to be Othello."  
  
"Oh Renaissance man, good movie," Chris said. "I like when they go to the play on the bus. That's a funny part."  
  
"So, Rory what are you up too? What College did you go too?"  
  
"Well, Clara, right now I am in the attorney office at Ramdial & Grant. I went to Harvard after graduating Chilton."  
  
"Wow, Harvard? You probably graduated top in your class."  
  
"Actually," Rory was going to tell her the whole story about all four years in college, but didn't want to upset Dean.  
  
They got to the Theater and Dean was ready to jump out of the truck. "We're here."  
  
"Good." They all said in unison.  
  
~~~~~Inside the theater~~~~~  
  
The seating arrangement was pretty simple Boy-Girl-Boy-Girl. Dean and Rory were pretty quiet during the performance. During the play Chris and Clara started to hold hands. All that Rory could do was look on in awe. She missed that; she wanted that more then ever. Maybe Dean and herself were moving farther apart.  
  
Once the play ended and the people started to leave, Rory recognized someone there. Now this was strange for Rory, last night on her date with Tristan she started to think about Dean after she saw the movie. But this afternoon with Dean, she saw Tristan. She physically saw Tristan; she didn't know what to do. She didn't know whether to say hi with Dean there and have a spectacle between the two. She really had a problem.  
  
On the way back to Dean's car she asked, "Could you drop me off at home. I am not feeling well." Which was actually not to far from the truth.  
  
"Yeah, that's fine."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
~~~~~ Back At Her Apartment~~~~~  
  
She was pacing in her living room for a good 20 minutes. She was burning a hole in the wooden floor. She didn't know what to do. Should she tell Tristan that it was a mistake? Will he take her back? She decided to go to his apartment and talk to him. What was the worst that could happen?  
  
Once she got to his apartment she knocked on the door. He didn't answer the first time. She tried a second. He still didn't answer. She thought that maybe he wasn't home yet from the play, he probably went out afterwards. So, she decided to go to her apartment and think about what she was going to say to him. She will wait until Monday to talk to him. It wasn't that long, only 18 hours until she sees him at work. 'That's fine you will see him Monday,' is what she kept repeating to herself. 


	5. Too late

TITLE- Could This Be Love (part5)  
  
NAME-Johanna  
  
E-MAIL- Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS- none  
  
SUMMARY- predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING-PG-13  
  
CONTENT- some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER- Rory/Tristan  
  
DISCLAIMER-I don't own any of the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman- Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE-Will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 5: Too Late  
  
Rory had slept until 6:30. She couldn't sleep any longer. If she did she would have lost all train of thought. So she decided to clean up around her apartment. It was about 7:30 when she noticed her reflection from scrubbing the kitchen floor for so long. So she had to get ready for work and her day of confrontation with Tristan. By 8:30 she was out the door, to work.  
  
While at work she heard giggling from the room adjacent her office. She wondered what was going on because that was Tristan's office and she still hasn't told him her feelings. She had waited till the noise had stopped to go talk to him. Something in her mind told her that, Tristan would fool around with someone at work. She wanted someone else to be in there, she was hoping there was.  
  
When she walked into the doorway, she saw Tristan and some brunette. She didn't know exactly who it was because all she saw was the back of her head and her butt dusting the desk. They were very involved in conversation. Rory didn't know what to think about the two of them. "Knock, Knock." Rory said to get their attention; she was getting sick just looking at them.  
  
Tristan and the brunette broke away from conversation. "Hi Rory." Tristan said, what could he say. She broke his heart again. "Rory this is Hannah, Hannah- Rory."  
  
"Hi," Rory said with an evil smirk. Directed towards Hannah. "Tristan, can I talk to you for a second?"  
  
Tristan had jumped at the chance. "Sure, Hannah, can I meet up with you at lunch?"  
  
"Ok, Bye." She said with look about her. Rory saw it, but couldn't figure out why. She was getting really fed up.  
  
There was a moment of silence between the two once Hannah left. Rory chimed in, "So, Tristan, where did you two meet?" Rory wanted to pry. She had a right to, she wanted him instead of her other choice.  
  
"Huh?" Tristan asked surprised by her accusation.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me, Tristan. Where did ya meet her?"  
  
"Oh, Hannah? She works on the first floor in the mail room."  
  
"Ok, whatever, so yeah, how was your weekend? I spent 10 bucks to see my favorite play yesterday."  
  
"Really, what's your favorite play? I mean I never thought of you as a Theater person, I thought that you were always a bookworm." Tristan mentioned trying not to be mean.  
  
"Taming of the Shrew."  
  
"Oh, Shakespeare's a great writer. I think that is one of his best."  
  
"Yeah, same here. I saw you at your apartment building yesterday."  
  
"When?" He was kind a surprised that Rory is 'staking' him, in a way.  
  
"Around noon!" She was fed up with him, she still hasn't told him about her feelings. That was the main reason that she was in the office. She forgot the main reason why she came to see him.  
  
"Oh, how did you find out where I lived?"  
  
"I didn't I live in the apartment building next to yours."  
  
"No way!?!?" Tristan's thought about her actually stalking him had decenagrated.  
  
"What a small world."  
  
"So, what did you need to tell me?"  
  
Once Tristan got her thinking about she really needed to talk to him about, she turned around from the doorway and shut the door, she didn't want anyone to hear. "Well Tristan, I was thinking about our date yesterday, and I thought about giving us another chance. We never really started anything serious. So I thought that we could have a do-over."  
  
Tristan looked into her eyes to see if she was sincere about her feelings. He saw what he wanted to see on Saturday but she just wouldn't give in. He tried to hold himself together and said. "Rory, I took Saturday as the beginning and the end of our friendships to romance relationship. I am all for being friends now. But now I am sort of in a relationship." Tristan was very sweet about her not being in a lot of pain. He would have definitely would have jumped at the chance for the two of them to be together. But now he had Hannah, in a sense.  
  
" I understand Tristan, you think things are going great with you two, It would be a shame to break it up, especially all because of me. I guess all I have to say is have fun with 'the mailman.'" At that Rory couldn't even look at him in the face, she wanted him and only him. She just turned around to walk out the room and Tristan didn't even stop her. She was going somewhere that she needed her problems changed. 'Why did I have to do that,' she thought to herself, 'I can't work with him now'. She knew things would be different now that she told him her feelings. They didn't have to be, so she decided to go to her boss, Gene and make him get Tristan another partner. 


	6. Maybe not

TITLE- Could This Be Love (part6)  
  
NAME-Johanna  
  
E-MAIL- Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS- none  
  
SUMMARY- predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING-PG-13  
  
CONTENT- some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER- Rory/Tristan  
  
DISCLAIMER-I don't own any of the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman- Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE-Will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 6: Maybe not  
  
While Rory was trying to find Gene in his office she bumped into someone before she got there. Hannah.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Rory said not knowing whom she had just bumped into.  
  
"Rory, oh, yeah its ok." Hannah said trying to be nice.  
  
Rory hadn't forgotten about seeing her with Tristan this mourning. Who could forget? Everyone could have heard them. "Sorry, I interrupted your conversation with Tristan. It looked like it was very interesting."  
  
"Not really, I am sort of glad."  
  
"What do you mean?" Rory asked, she had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"Well, Last week, Tristan and I had a really nice conversation. I took it as a real connection. But on Saturday, I went to the movies with a friend and I saw him with another girl." She told Rory, not aware she was talking about Rory.  
  
"Hannah, don't start jumping to conclusions. I mean it could have been his sister." What was she thinking? She just referred to herself as a relative of Tristan's.  
  
"Tristan doesn't have a sister."  
  
"Then it could have been a high school friend. Tristan would never two time a girl like you." 'Me on the other hand' she thought to herself.  
  
"That's sweet of you to say Rory." Hannah said, "It looked like you were going somewhere. Don't let me stop you."  
  
"Oh, you know what, I have to get something from my office. I'll talk to you later." She decided not to go through with changing partners. 'If I don't have Tristan as a lover, I can have him as a friend.' Rory thought, ' Maybe I can even help Tristan with Hannah, just to show him how much I cared.'  
  
~~~~~After Lunch~~~~~  
  
It was about four-thirty she had about 30 minutes until she had to go. She didn't want to work with Tristan on such bad terms, plus she had to ask him something that was important. She was standing at Tristan's office door, she stood there for a second collecting her thoughts. Rory thought. Still thinking, someone tapped her shoulder.  
  
"Excuse me. Can I get into my office?" Tristan had no idea what she was doing there, again.  
  
"Tristan, Hi, I wanted to talk to you about. umm.about the case." Rory was taken by surprise; she didn't have all her thoughts together.  
  
"What about it?" Tristan was fed up with Rory; butting in. He didn't want to see her.  
  
"Well, I don't think we'll finish it up by Wednesday mourning."  
  
"Yeah, so, what do you suppose we do about it?" Tristan said. He actually wouldn't mind Rory and himself pulling an all-nighter. What she had said to him earlier got him annoyed. He can't help it that she had feelings about him, after the date.  
  
"Actually, Tristan, I wanted to tell you that I didn't mean to forget the documents. Seeing as though we didn't get a lot done today. You know I left them at my apartment, so if you wouldn't mind stopping by tonight to pull an all-nighter, I would be greatly appreciated."  
  
"It sound's like a plan, When should I come over?" Just the words 'pull an all-nighter' made Tristan jump at the chance.  
  
"I guess around seven. If it's a problem, you can come a little later."  
  
"No, Seven is fine. I guess I will see you later."  
  
"Ok, later then." 


	7. The chance

TITLE- Could This Be Love (part7)  
  
NAME-Johanna  
  
E-MAIL- Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS- none  
  
SUMMARY- predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING-PG-13  
  
CONTENT- some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER- Rory/Tristan  
  
DISCLAIMER-I don't own any of the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman- Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE- all the facts that I made up to make up a fictional lawsuit are totally out there. I even got confused. If you need me to explain, respond.  
  
Chapter 7: The Chance  
  
~~~~~Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
It was just about 7 o'clock; she was wondering when Tristan would get there. It wasn't far away, about 7 seconds from his apartment. All of a sudden Rory heard footsteps, then they would stop, in a few seconds she would hear them again. She decided to look to see what was going on. She looked into the peephole and saw Tristan, pacing. She wasn't going to wait for him to knock, so she took matters into her own hands. She unlocked the door slowly, and then turned the doorknob.  
  
Tristan stopped pacing once he noticed Rory's door opening. She just stood there looking at him.  
  
"Hi." Rory said to him, trying to calm his nerves.  
  
"Hi Rory, hi." Tristan was shaking, he wasn't getting comfortable at all, and he has stepped foot into her apartment. All he could do was think about those last words he told Hannah at lunch, 'Hannah, you know that I think you're a great friend of mine, But I really don't think we can be more.' Something must have struck a cord with him, when Rory showed up at his office in the mourning.  
  
"Would you like to come in, Tristan?"  
  
"Thanks." He said trying to fight a feeling that he had for the pass two hours.  
  
"So, um this is my apartment. To the right is the kitchen, to the left is the living room," Rory felt like a flight attendant. "At the end of the hall is the bathroom if you need to use it."  
  
"It's nice, oddly familiar, but nice."  
  
"Right, just kidding. We'll be using the living room to work."  
  
"Yeah, ok, that's fine."  
  
"So, umm, I guess we'll get to work." Rory didn't want to rush work. She wanted to talk to him like a normal person, rather then a colleague.  
  
"What do you want to start on, the family case, or the divorce battle?" Tristan didn't want to get into an argument with her. He had let her choose for the two of them.  
  
"The family case is fine. We have a lot of support to get the parents back into there home now. There was never a contamination; it was all a lie from the health department."  
  
"That's true, the health department made up that story so that the family would pay for the repairs. It is the health departments job to fix any problem that the house had, with their own money."  
  
"Technically that's true, but what about the fact that the family wouldn't pay for there fees that were owed to the department."  
  
"Right but all the things that happened in the house was when the health department was working in the house. It is there fault and therefore they would have to pay."  
  
The argument lasted for about 25 minutes. Rory and Tristan were standing across from each other bickering about the topic, arms flying everywhere and they couldn't stop. Rory had it. She needed to stop, they both needed to sit down. Rory decided to sit and talk rationally to Tristan.  
  
"Tristan, if we keep working like this we will never get the case done. We are for the family; and it hasn't changed."  
  
Tristan sat down across from Rory. " I know." Tristan wasn't in the mood to work. " Lets just start over. But I am kind of starving, can we order in?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll order in the kitchen, is Chinese ok?" Rory said walking towards the kitchen phone.  
  
"That's fine, I'll be right back." He said heading down the hall to the bathroom.  
  
Rory was sitting on the couch waiting for the food to come, and Tristan to come back. She was sitting, that was all that she could do. "He is taking a long time in there," she said, she wanted to talk to him now.  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~In The Bathroom~~~~~  
  
" What am I going to do?" Tristan said to himself while pacing in Rory's bathroom. Rory's, which smelt of Violets and Lavender, he wanted to capture this essence of Rory in a bottle, so he can always have a piece of her. He just keeps breathing in the smells. He knew he had to stop; he was getting out of control. He turned towards the door and opened it. Walking out into the hallway and approaching the living room, he saw her she was sitting on the couch, not really sitting in a way; She was lounging on the couch.  
  
"Hi Rory!" he said startling her.  
  
"Tristan, wow, I was totally out of it, you really scared me there."  
  
" I'm sorry," he said very innocently. " It looked like you were deep in thought."  
  
"Oh, well not really." Rory said before jumping off the couch. "The food should be here any minute. I didn't know what you liked so I got a little of everything." Rory had heard a knock at the door before Tristan could answer her. Rory walked up to the door, with Tristan trailing behind her.  
  
"Hi," the delivery boy said to her very coy. "That's 13.75."  
  
Tristan couldn't believe this guy. It would be different if she knew him, but it didn't look like it.  
  
"Here's fifteen, keep the change." Rory could see the jealous anger in Tristan's face when she turned around. She thought that it was so cute. "Well lets it." Rory said while shutting the door behind her and moving into the living room.  
  
"Ok." Tristan was starting to get a little flustered. He felt like a little girl, it was embarrassing.  
  
Rory and Tristan just ate their dinner and were almost finished with their case at about a quarter to ten. They both didn't mind each other. After they had finished the case they started to talk about anything.  
  
They were deep in conversation, so deep that they were practically attached to each other on the couch; there wasn't any breathing room. Until they got even closer, they decided to stop talking. 'They didn't' Tristan decided. All of a sudden he moved his hand onto Rory's knee. They looked into each other's eyes, Tristan inched his face closer to hers. He kissed her on the lips passionately for a moment. He broke the line, that line he had put up. Rory was happy, Tristan was thrilled; they couldn't help their feelings.  
  
Rory and Tristan had gone at it for a good half an hour until, Rory stopped Tristan, and he wasn't pressuring her at all. He wasn't taking it slow, but he wouldn't want to do something that he would regret.  
  
Rory then decided to say goodnight. "Tristan, do you want to stop by tomorrow?"  
  
"No," he said to Rory leaving her with a disappointing look. "I would love if you can come by tomorrow."  
  
Rory was happy, " I would love too." She said with a smile from ear to ear.  
  
"Ok, I guess around 6?"  
  
"That's fine." She said as she walked him to the door. " I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Goodnight" Tristan said, right before he kissed her. But he knew if he didn't make the kiss short they would be there for another ½ hour. He broke the kiss, turned around and left, leaving Rory standing there with a smile on her face. 


	8. The Invite

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part8)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 8: The Invite  
  
Rory couldn't wait until tomorrow night. Rory found herself calling Tristan's. She had no idea what she was going to tell him. She had no real reason to call him. * The second ring* Rory thought she had to make a choice, hang up or talk to him.  
  
All of a sudden Rory heard a groggy voice pick up the phone. "Hello?" the person said. Rory thought it was Tristan. A half asleep Tristan, but at least it was Tristan.  
  
"Hi, Tristan. It's Rory. Sorry to call so late but I just wanted to see what you were up too?" Rory said in a perky voice. She was acting a little to happy.  
  
"Oh Rory," he said yawning. "Nothing much just doing what any normal person would be doing at two in the mourning."  
  
"Oh, I am so sorry Tristan. I had no idea that you were sleeping. Goodnight Tristan."  
  
When Rory hung up the phone, Tristan was awake. He started to toss and turn while trying to get back to sleep. Tristan couldn't so he sat up and considered going to see Rory. * I mean if she's up then what's the harm. * He said to himself. So he decided to get up out of his bed and put on a pair of jeans over his boxer. He then put on a button down T-shirt and went out of his apartment.  
  
Rory couldn't fall to sleep so she decided to read one of her books. But while reading she wasn't really in the mood, because she felt her head tilt back as if to dose off. So she closed her book in her lap, getting annoyed at her sleeping tonight.  
  
All of a sudden she heard a knock at her door. She was a little startled but a little relieved. She walked up to the door, looked through the peephole to see who it was.  
  
Tristan was totally surprised at the fact that he was standing in front of her door at 2:30 in the mourning. He remembered when he came home from there, he was telling himself to take it slow, that's what she wants. But after getting this mixed signal over the phone, he acted the only way he could. He was thinking with his 'little friend', rather then with this common sense. He had to get out of there and fast. *Make up an excuse, and be on your way * he thought to himself. *Too late * he thought as he saw the doorknob turn and the door open.  
  
" Hi Tristan." Rory said while fixing her robe so that Tristan couldn't see her tank top and draw string pants kitty cat PJ's.  
  
"Hi Rory." * Get out of here Dugrey. * He said. He had to leave or he would end up doing something that he would regret. "Sorry to stop by so late, but I wanted to check if I left my briefcase here, by mistake." He knew that he didn't but she didn't mind company.  
  
"Yeah sure Tristan, come on in and check." Rory didn't know what to take that as. Lorelai had warned her about that tactic, but this was her first encounter.  
  
"Thanks Rory." He said while entering the apartment. "I think I left it in the living room." Tristan said once he turned around to see Rory lock her apartment door.  
  
"Well, I guess we should look in there first." Rory said leading him into the room. Tristan looked a little antsy to Rory. Rory's hands were getting a little clammy, but could she help it, she was nervous.  
  
Rory and Tristan looked all over her living room. They both knew that it wasn't in there but they weren't aware of the fact that the other knew.  
  
All of a sudden Tristan gave up looking all together. He sat down on Rory's L-shaped couch just looking at Rory. Rory stood up straight and noticed Tristan, being lazy. Lazy and cute all at the same time though. Rory decided to get comfortable because if she couldn't find it after 25 minutes then what was the point.  
  
Rory started to walk toward Tristan sitting on the couch. Rory took her knees and placed them on the end of the couch. Tristan could help but stare at what she was doing. Rory then took her right side of her body and leaned against the back of the sofa.  
  
"Well, I guess, I didn't leave it here." Tristan said to Rory, as a request to leave.  
  
"Maybe." Rory said in a whisper, as she moved her hand up into Tristan's well-cut hair. 


	9. The regret

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part9)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. Sorry that I made Rory out to be a complete slut.  
  
Chapter 9: The Regret  
  
Tristan didn't mind Rory's advances but it kind of felt awkward for him. He really liked Rory. But he wasn't just attracted to her appearance; it was how she presented herself as a strong women, but not forceful. He was attracted to her mind, her soul, her kindness, and the way that she was so nice to others. Tristan liked Rory, not the cat women inside. He wants to take it as slow as Rory. But she hasn't realized it. Maybe he can snap her out of it.  
  
"Well since we couldn't find it, I guess I should get going." Tristan said as he jumped up from the couch and moved out of the room.  
  
"I guess so." Rory told him, as if she was disappointed. But she was kind of relieved. Her mom told about what could happen and she took care of it; even though it looked like she was scaring Tristan away. "Sorry we couldn't find it. I guess I will see you in about 4 hours." She said while looking at the clock behind him when she walked him to the door.  
  
"4 hours? Crap I don't know how I am going to get back to sleep." Tristan was totally surprised that they had been 'looking' for 4 & ½ hours.  
  
"I heard that the best remedy to fall to sleep is milk warmed on the stove."*Milk warmed on the stove Rory? * She thought that the small talk was getting a little weird. *What are you going to tell him next, in the courtroom, you like to take a bull by the balls to win, that's pure poetry Rory? * Rory had to get some sleep because of how strangely she was talking. She was leaning against the frame of the door, because of how tired she was.  
  
"I think I might try that sometime. Well I'll see you later." He said before he gave Rory a sweet little peck on the lips.  
  
"Bye Tristan, I'll see ya." Rory was in a complete daze from the kiss. She walked into her apartment slowly, shut the door and locked it behind her. From there she walked from the doorway into her bedroom, lied on her bed for a few minutes, then fell asleep.  
  
All of a sudden when Rory was almost fast asleep, she heard a phone ring. She didn't know if it was in her dream or not. She heard something answer it so she fell back to sleep.  
  
~~~~~Tuesday Mourning (7:00)~~~~~  
  
Beep! Beep! Rory heard an inch or two from her head. "Shit." Rory said while waking up. Rory rolled out of bed to do what she did in the mourning. Shower, brush her teeth, get dressed and then eat breakfast.  
  
While getting ready to eat, she noticed that she had messages. She pressed the play button. * You have 2 messages * it said. * First Message * " Hi Rory, its Lane. It's Monday night. I am at Henry's. Thought you might like to come over. But you must be busy. Ok, love ya, bye."  
  
"That's funny." Rory said, "I don't remember the phone ringing when Tristan was over. Lane must have called when we were talking, more like screaming at each other. But she also could have called, when we were kissing." Rory said to herself in her apartment, before the second message started.  
  
*2nd Message* "Hi Rory." It started. Rory had almost choked on her cup of coffee. "It's me, Dean. What's up? I was just calling to see if you would like to go see a movie with me tomorrow, Tuesday, night. You know the number, call me back. Thanks. Talk to you soon."  
  
"Oh, no!?!" Rory said to herself. "Why is he doing this too me."  
  
She then picked up the phone to call her office and tell them that she's sick today, and can't make it. After she had made that phone call, she called another person. Hoping to get a little advice with this situation. 


	10. The Gettogether

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part10)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 10: The Get-Together  
  
Rory called her mother down to her apartment. She needed her and she could live through this alone.  
  
Lorelai came about 10 o'clock and rushed into Rory's apartment.  
  
"Rory? Are you ok?"  
  
"Mom I called you for help, in this situation. I don't need you to nurse me back to health. I'm not five."  
  
"Well I am your mother, I can do both. And to me you will always be five." Lorelai said as she pressed Rory's face into her chest.  
  
"You're right what was I thinking?" Rory said while trying to break free from Lorelai. Lorelai was getting jumpy so she decided, "Let's go into the kitchen, and you tell me everything that happened." Lorelai said while dragging Rory in there.  
  
Rory sat down and started telling her. "Well, last night Tristan and I had to work late. We kind of got close. Then he asked me out for tonight." She noticed her mother making coffee, but she realized that her mother could do anything when it comes to coffee. "But I couldn't wait. I called him about 2ish. He left to come back here to find his briefcase that he had never left. I made a few passes. But it was all wrong, I drove him away." Rory saw her mother shaking her head in agreement and then asked, " So what does that mean?"  
  
"Well Rory, first things first tell me how long have you been with Tristan?"  
  
"Technically, I haven't really been with Tristan, we went out once or twice."  
  
"Ok, second your going at it all wrong. I mean he may even just want a friendship relationship."  
  
"I don't think so, I mean I have seen the way he looks at me, like a goddess."  
  
Rory started to go into a daze thinking about him.  
  
"Well Rory, you better get your head out of the clouds and get rid of the holier then thou attitude that you have gotten. Because it sounds to me you're on a tall pedestal and one of these days it could all come down. Maybe you could've read the signals all-wrong. I mean he sounds like a nice guy now. Plus he has probably changed a whole lot." Lorelai noticed that she was starting to preach to Rory so she shut up.  
  
"I didn't mean to be so fresh with him last night." She said, "To top it all off, Dean wants to do something. Does he have ESP or something?"  
  
"I'm so sorry honey."  
  
"Mom, It's not your fault." She said to Lorelai who was looking at her fingers nails as if she did something wrong.  
  
"Actually," Lorelai said while looking at Rory.  
  
"I can't believe you it, my own mother. Why would you do that to me, Mother?"  
  
"I will tell you if you stop saying it like that."  
  
"Ok sorry, why, mom, why?"  
  
"I didn't know that you were with someone. I just wanted to see a pair of old friends together again."  
  
"I can't believe it."  
  
"I'm sorry." Lorelai said, "I didn't mean it what do you want me to do? Have Paris go out with Dean?" Lorelai said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, that sounds.no.What am I talking about?" Rory put her head in her hands. It hurt too much to think about anything.  
  
"I think I have helped you long enough. It's noon now I am going to head home."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Rory said while moving her hands away from her face.  
  
"I'm sure." Lorelai told Rory. "Rest sweetheart, you look like crap."  
  
"I will." Rory said. With a smile she said, "Thanks."  
  
Lorelai left Rory's apartment but didn't want to go straight home. So she got into her car and drove into Hartford. While driving into Hartford Lorelai noticed a Café, so decided to stop to get coffee. She realized that she made coffee at Rory's but never drank it.  
  
~~~~~ In the Café ~~~~~  
  
Lorelai took a sit once she got her coffee. She started to think about Rory. Then she thought about Rory and Dean, and how their relationship was so innocent. While taking a few sips of her coffee she noticed a blonde hared man looking at her. She tried to ignore it but she then saw him walk up to her.  
  
"Hi?" he said to Lorelai hoping that she would remember him.  
  
"Hi, how are you?" Lorelai answered. She should know this person because he looked very familiar.  
  
"You don't remember me do you?" He asked her.  
  
"No, I remember you face, but not the name. I have a bad memory." Lorelai said to him.  
  
"It's Tristan. Miss Gilmore. I met you 5 years ago at the Chilton Graduation.  
  
"Actually it's Mrs. Lorelai Danes. Just Lorelai is fine. I do remember. Vaguely but I remember."  
  
"Congratulations. So how are you?"  
  
"Well Tristan I'm good. Rory told me that you two were working together."  
  
At that Tristan had gotten a little flustered, so he had decided to excuse himself. "Well I better get back to work. I just went here to get lunch."  
  
"Okay, well have a good day, Tristan."  
  
" You to Mrs. Danes." At that Tristan ran as fast as he could out of there. He had no idea why Rory wasn't at work today. But he wasn't going to talk to her mother about what happened.  
  
~~~~~ At Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Rory was on the phone with Lane.  
  
"Lane, can you please come over?" Rory needed a friend.  
  
"Rory, sweetheart I can't, I have our college roommates coming over for a week. Rory knew it too.  
  
"I totally forgot. All six of you in that apartment?" Rory said she suddenly thought of the perfect idea. "Lane, why don't you guys come very here for a week. I would mind. Plus I want to she what Catherine," Rory was about to finish her thought Lane corrected her.  
  
"Cat, don't you remember, she was crazy like a cat, so that's will we called her that. And plus she like it as well."  
  
"Right. You know I remember that but.whatever. I really want to see what Annie, Cat, Katerina, Katie, and Gretchen have been up too. Come on. I would love if you guys would come over. Come on, Lane that would be absolutely perfect."  
  
"Fine, Rory you win. We will all come over. Except Katerina she can't make it, you know her. So, Right after they get here I will shove them right out the door. Even though they have been in the car already for four long hours. What's another twenty minutes to Hartford."  
  
"Okay, that's settled, they go see your apartment and then you all come here, great."  
  
"Well, I will be there in an hour with Annie, Cat, Katie and Gretchen."  
  
"Great bye, see ya soon." Rory said with a smile, she had pleaded with Lane for a good long half-hour.  
  
Once she hung up the phone with Lane she picked it right back up to call Dean. She had a reason for not being able to go out. She heard it ring once, then again.  
  
"Hello?" someone said on the other line.  
  
"Hi this is Rory, is Dean home?" Rory asked the person.  
  
"I'm sorry Rory, Dean's not home right now," the person said. " Can I take a message?"  
  
"Can you just tell him that I can't make it tonight. I had made previous plans. Thanks." She hung the phone up after leaving the message. She had felt good about telling him the truth. But know what was she going to tell Tristan. 


	11. Crowded

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part11)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
  
  
Chapter 11: Crowded  
  
Rory sat at her kitchen table for about 10 minutes thinking about what to do about Tristan. He left her house last night on a good note. But when he came later on after they talked, he didn't mention any more about what they would do tonight. She thought about calling his office to get in contact with him, but decided not too. She thought about calling his apartment and not having the feeling avoiding him. She decided calling his apartment and leaving him a message. She thought that it would be best if she didn't catch him off guard at work.  
  
She picked up her phone and started to dial his number. It rang about 4 times then the message picked. * Hi you got me, the only thing is I don't want to talk. So just leave me a message, and I'll try to give you a buzz. * * Beep * Once the message had ended Rory wasn't ready to talk, she kind of just wanted to hear his voice, in a strange way it comforted her. After she heard the beep she started her message. "Hi Tristan, it's Rory.it's about 2:45.um, so I wanted to talk to you about me coming over tonight? Well, I didn't know if you still wanted me to. Also if you did I wouldn't be able to make it. You see my college roommates are coming down. Plus I know I should have come to work today but I was feeling a little under the weather this morning so, I need time to get better. I am a little better, but not really, I needed a lot of rest. So.um. I'm sorry I didn't," * Beep *  
  
All of a sudden Rory noticed that Tristan's machine had stopped. All she could do was look at her phone. She was debating if she should call him back. She needed to finish what she was talking about, of course. So she hit the redial button and very quickly got his message. " Me again, I kind of got cut off by the machine. But I'm sorry I didn't come to work this morning. I didn't know what to do about what had happened last night. I don't what came over me; I don't usually act like that. Once you left, I have to admit that I had something to drink, there I said it, and you see the thing is that any kind of drink after 12 makes me do things that I usually regret. Being it any soda or any type of alcohol. I am really sorry Tristan I hope we can start over. Ok I better go, talk to you later."  
  
After she got off the phone she looked at the clock hanging on the wall, she had noticed that it had been an hour since she had talked to Lane. So she decided to clean up her apartment before they got there. But she knew that her friends would mind if her place were a little messy. She went into her leaving to push everything in its correct place. Rory put the pillows back on the couch and sat down to take a breather. Once she sat down she heard a Knock at the door. So she dragged herself off the couch and walked to the door. She opened it to find five, very happy girls smiling at her. Standing there right in front of her was her friends, Cat, the red head, Katie the blonde and two brunettes' Annie and Gretchen.  
  
" HI RORY!" they screamed.  
  
" Hey you guys! Come in, come in." She said while walking them into the living room.  
  
" Rory your apartment is so funky. I love all the colors." Cat told Rory as soon as she saw Rory marooned colored walls in the living.  
  
"Thanks Cat. So Lane did you guys get here ok?" She asked as lane was trailing into the living room.  
  
"Yeah Rory we all got here in one piece if that's what you mean? The drive was fine, no traffic at all." Lane said to Rory as she put her bags on the floor.  
  
"So, Rory how have you been? Any cute guys in the apartment building around here?" Annie asked, she was just wondering. Basically trying to get into Rory personal life.  
  
"Actually, Annie now that you mention I have to tell you guys about this guy that has the hot's of Rory."  
  
Lane said with a gigantic smile.  
  
"Aww come on Lane they don't hear about him."  
  
"Are you kidding me? I love this stuff." Gretchen said with smile, she wanted to hear every thing about it. "Rory, you did have the greatest taste in guys."  
  
"Fine, Lane, I'll tell it too them."  
  
"So what does he look like?" Katie asked her while putting her butt into the couch to get comfortable.  
  
"Well has the most amazing blue eyes that when you look into them you can really see into his soul. He has Blonde hair.  
  
"I approve." Katie said with a smile  
  
"He's tall, like 6 feet tall. But his face is to die for. I mean the chiseled chin and jaw line, I mean he is not boring to look at. I haven't gotten tired once."  
  
"Nice, how did you two meet? Was it love at first sight?" Annie had to ask she loved to hear those stories.  
  
" Was it? How long have you been together?" Gretchen asked. She was really into the conversation now. That she was leaning onto her knees up to where Rory was sitting on the couch, like a begging dog.  
  
" Well I have known him for a pretty long time."  
  
"Tell me about it." Lane said. "He was obsessed with Rory, he never bother to say her name, he always called her 'Mary'." Lane then notice Rory glaring over at her, so she decided to bit her tongue.  
  
"Are you done?" She asked Lane waiting to get some sign of activity. Lane shook her head. "Anyway, I meet him my sophomore year in High School, we didn't really hit it off. I hated him and he rubbed me the wrong way."  
  
Cat had this confused look on her face when Rory had told her how long they knew each other. "So let me get this straight, you have know for a good seven years and you two never when out?"  
  
"Oh. Oh." Lane started to make gorilla noise to get Rory's attention. "Rory you got to tell them about that time with you and him at Madeline's house."  
  
"What happened Rory? Tell us." Annie said.  
  
"Did you to get into a verbal fight?" everyone just stopped and looked at Katie. "What, I think it would be funny to see Rory do that. I mean Rory is not one to curse."  
  
"No, Katie, nothing like that. But it was very nice what had happened. Ya see my boyfriend broke up with me the night before the party. So I go avoiding anything to do with my boyfriend. I saw Tristan and his girlfriend in a fight, then while at the party they broke up. I felt bad for Tristan breaking up is but to have a PDofS."  
  
" So, I walked around Madeline's house for a few minutes. Then I found the piano room with Tristan sitting at it. We made small talk then we stopped talking. One thing lead to another and he kissed me. But the funny thing was I kissed him back." She said with a grin. She looked at everyone face who was listening.  
  
They had all chimed in, "awe."  
  
"Yeah well, I met up with him since high school last weekend. And right now we are sort if in a relationship."  
  
"That is the cutest story. I have ever heard." Cat said with her eyes tearing.  
  
Annie had a tissue up to her eyes was without words.  
  
"It was all right. It's definitely not something I would cry over." Katie said with a straight face.  
  
"Oh, come on. They knew each other since high-school but they didn't really come together until 7 years later." Gretchen said to Katie.  
  
"The greatest part is that they are working with each other." Lane said to them.  
  
"Really?" Annie said once she got herself composed.  
  
"Yeah, we are." Rory told them.  
  
"That's so cute." Cat said with a smile.  
  
"Do you think we would meet him?" Gretchen asked. "He sounds so sweet."  
  
"I don't know maybe you could I was supposed to go his apartment tonight, but I, called him and told him I couldn't."  
  
"Well call him and tell him to come over." Cat grabbed the phone and shoved it into Rory face.  
  
"What time does he get off work?" Katie asked. "Wait if you two work together. Why aren't you with him?"  
  
"I'm here with you guys that's why. He gets off work around 5."  
  
"Perfect. It's about ten to 5 now." Annie said. "Why don't you get him at work and tell him to come over here."  
  
"I guess. I'll call him." Rory said while pressing in number. 


	12. The Friendship

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part12)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 12: The friendship  
  
~~~~~ In Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Tristan was just getting in from a long day of work. He had thrown everything that he was carrying into his apartment onto the living room floor. He didn't bother doing anything else once he walked in. He was beat and all he wanted to do was fall onto his couch and got comfortable. While sitting in the direction of his message machine he saw that he had messages. He got up off the couch and pressed the 'Play Message' button.  
  
* You have 2 messages * It said. Then Tristan started to listen to his messages. Once he heard the machine start to play the first message the phone ran. Tristan debated picking it up, but did it anyway.  
  
"Hello?" He said.  
  
"Hi." Rory said to him.  
  
"Oh, Hi, Rory, How are you? Where are you?" Tristan said to her. "Sorry to say it so bluntly. But I mean I needed to talk to you about last night. I was swamped at work and I needed help. We're a team and if one of us is not in it for the long haul then I don't know what to think of." Tristan said with a huff.  
  
"I'm sorry Tristan. I am guessing you didn't get my message." She said to Tristan. While covering up the phone to talk to her friends she said, "I can just imagine his face with a pensive look." Her friends just laughed a small laugh. They didn't want to miss any of their conversation.  
  
"You called to check on work, or are you just making me annoyed." Tristan said. "Why did you call? I don't want to guess anymore."  
  
"Fine Tristan." She said. To her friends she said "Touchy, touchy."  
  
"Who are you talking too?"  
  
"Oh me. Well I was wondering, if you wanted to come over?"  
  
"What's the occasion?" Tristan questioned her.  
  
"Well I wanted to chat, if that's ok. Are you busy? You don't have to come over if you don't want too."  
  
"OK, I come over. See ya soon." Tristan got off the phone and got ready to go over to Rory's.  
  
~~~~~ At Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
"Well I hope you guys are happy. I had to lie to get him here. So you better not mall him over to meet him when he gets here." She said to Annie, Cat, Katie and Gretchen. "Especially you Cat! I know and guess even if you have a boyfriend it wouldn't matter."  
  
"Hey, I have cut down, now its one guy friend to a boyfriend. Wait scratch that I am not and would not ever cheat on Frankie." She said with lovey dovey eyes. "I think his is the one." Once Cat shut up talking they all heard a knock at the door everyone jumped except for Cat and Lane.  
  
Lane questioned, "Are you going to get that?"  
  
"In due time," Rory said. Once she heard him knock a second time she said, "The time is now." With that she stood up and walked slowly to the door. When she was in the hallway and she know no one could so she ran to the door. She opened the door and said. "Hi Tristan."  
  
While leaning on the doorpost he said, "Hey so, what did we need to talk about?"  
  
  
  
"Well come with me first. I have some people I want you to meet." She said while leading him into the living room.  
  
"Ok, I guess." He said while following her.  
  
"Tristan, these are my friends from college." Rory said.  
  
"Hi." He said with a little stunned that she didn't mention them before when they were on the phone.  
  
"That's Katie, she went to Harvard with me."  
  
She pointed to Katie then to Gretchen, "That's Gretchen, she is a 'mutual' friend of Katie and I."  
  
"Hi. Thanks Rory."  
  
"No problem," She said with a smirk. "Next we have Cat who went to Quinnipiac in Connecticut. I had met her through Lane, and we've been friends ever since."  
  
"Hi, sorry, I'm taken." She said with a smile.  
  
"It's all right so am I." Tristan said looking at Rory.  
  
"Well last but certainly not least. Annie. Annie and Cat are friends. They met through Annie's cousin, Cat friend. When they went to the shore." At that Tristan was hooked.  
  
"What beach?"  
  
"Long Branch near Point Pleasant." Annie said.  
  
"Really. I used to go there all the time. Wait what did you say your name was?"  
  
"Annie."  
  
"As in sort for Annemarie?"  
  
"Actually. Yeah." She said with a surprised look.  
  
"On Man, Annie it's me, It's Tristan."  
  
"Wait. No it can't be, the Tristan I know. The one I know was when he was 8 he liked the Power Rangers."  
  
"It's is! How are you?" Tristan said getting comfortable right next to her on the couch. "You have grown up a lot. How many years has it been? 10?"  
  
"I'm good. I have a successful job with a clothing store in New York. Thanks for the compliment I think. My god has it been that long?? The last summer I saw you, you were 17. How are your parents?"  
  
" I'm Great." He said with a big smile. "My parents are fine, old but fine."  
  
"That's good. I am glad to hear it. So you and Rory are working together?"  
  
"Yeah we are working on a few cases for the firm, so were doing alright." Tristan said very nonchalantly. '* Were doing all right * God, could I have said it any louder? I mean she probably doesn't know what to think about * us *. Is there an us?' He said to himself, he needed to put his foot in his mouth and fast.  
  
The other four girls in the room just stopped everything to listen to their conversation. Until Rory cut in, "So how long have you two known each other?"  
  
"For ever." Annie said.  
  
"Annie and I have known each other for years. Actually sine we were 8. Well more like when I was eight and you were nine." Tristan said direction the statement to her. "I used to go to Long Branch when I was younger ever summer. Annie and I met on the beach, when I was hit by a wave and I hit her by accident."  
  
"Couldn't you have said that 'we met through our parents'?" Annie said giving him a look. "I mean we technically did." Directing the conversation to Rory and the others. "Our parents met that same day and we got together for dinner. That's when we were officially introduced."  
  
"That's cool." Cat said. "Rory now you have a friend who actually knows your boyfriend."  
  
Gretchen and Lane couldn't believe that she just said that. Rory didn't officially dub them 'Boyfriend and Girlfriend.' Cat just made an observation, but had said it without thinking. Lane stared at her once she made that stupid comment. Gretchen who was sitting next to her nudged her in the stomach.  
  
Cat made a noise, Katie heard her and asked, "Cat what's wrong?"  
  
"Me, oh, nothing. My stomach, well, I'm hungry Rory. Got anything to eat?"  
  
"Um I don't know let me check?" She said while getting up off the chair she was sitting in.  
  
"Thanks Rory that'd be great."  
  
"No problem." She said while walking out of the room.  
  
Before she was physically out of the room, Tristan jumped up off the couch and said, "Let me help you Rory." And walked out of the room with her.  
  
While Rory and Tristan were in the other room, Lane and the girls started to chat. About Rory.  
  
"Well, he seems to really like her." Katie said.  
  
"And also he is a friend of yours Annie. That's a plus."  
  
"I guess." Annie said in a disappointing voice.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gretchen asked.  
  
"Do you know something that Rory doesn't?" Cat asked as well, Annie had this look on her face that Cat couldn't read at that moment.  
  
" Just a few small details that I forgot to mention." Annie said. " I don't even know if he told her about it already."  
  
" Like what?" Lane asked  
  
"Well, you have to promise me that you won't tell Rory, or at least until Tristan is ok with it." Annie had a worried look on her face now.  
  
"How serious is it?" said Katie  
  
"On a scale from one to ten I would say an eight." Annie told them.  
  
"What is it?" Cat said. She couldn't stand the suspense. 


	13. That Saying

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part13)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 13: That Saying  
  
While that conversation was going on in the living room there was a steamy one in the Kitchen.  
  
"I thought you were alone? That's what it sounded like on the phone earlier." Tristan said. * I needed to ask you something, * he said to himself. * God out of all the time, I mean I wanted to talk to you about something really important. *  
  
"I know, I'm sorry they can be really quiet when it comes to guys." * I want you Tristan; I want you alone all to myself. I want to talk to you one on one. Not like now when I know that anyone of them could just walk right in here.  
  
"Oh ok, I understand. Actually Rory." He needed to stay this. He needed to get it off his chest. It was tearing him up inside. * Blurt it out * Tristan heard himself saying to him, *This is Rory the girl you have loved for years, why are you being a stewnod, just say it God Damn It *  
  
But Rory wouldn't let him talk. She blurted it out, like it was air. " Tristan, are you my Boyfriend?"  
  
"What kind of a question is that, Rory?" * I have wanted you for years, every since I saw you in class that day in September nine years ago. *  
  
"Well, in there," She said pointing into the living room, " you made these statements, that were giving me these signals that you wanted to be." She let out a big breath. It felt like a huge load was lifted off Rory's shoulders. She needed to get that out. She wanted to be his girlfriend, but didn't know when he was going to get to it. So she had taken matters into her own hands.  
  
  
  
"Uh- huh." Tristan said with a nod trying to understand her. But he wondered if Annie was the one that was holding him back. He sort of had a thing for her about 9 years back. * Come on 9 years. Don't you think that would mean something? It was 9 years ago. I mean it doesn't mean something when someone from the past walks back in. What's that saying? Oh, yeah. 'The past always comes back to haunt you.' Well this past isn't haunting me. It is just kind of saying hello. *  
  
Tristan continued saying, " I really like you, Rory. I have always liked you. But don't you think that we are going too fast. I mean last night was great. We really connected. But I want to have a few dates to adjust to the fact that we are classified." * Shit Tristan, tell her that you are not trying to push her away. * He thought to himself.  
  
"Are you trying to push me away." She was about to cry when Tristan took her into his arms and held her.  
  
"I never said I was. I just want our relationship to be perfect."  
  
"I can't do it Tristan." She wanted to be with him. But if his head was to be as cloudy as this; she didn't want it. She wanted Tristan.  
  
* I want you Rory. I want to be the one to marry you. * Tristan was thinking that if he loved her so much, he was the one who wants to be Rory's soul mate; He would definitely make any chances he could. "What do you mean?" He said while loosening his grip on Rory.  
  
"What I meant is I think that we need a break."  
  
"But Rory. We have had a break. I think 9 years since high school is the biggest break two people like us can have."  
  
"I know but lets take a week. Let's think about the decision we want to make."  
  
"But Rory." Tristan didn't want to. He knew what he wanted in a sense.  
  
Rory didn't want to hear his choice yet. "No Tristan no talking about what we think. Only work at work, nothing else."  
  
"Fine, I'll see ya." Tristan told Rory. He then walked straight out the room. Almost past the living room when he saw the girls talking. When he saw Annie, in particular. He stopped turned towards her and said, "Maybe we could get together."  
  
Cat cut in before he finished and said, "Sorry, remember I have a boyfriend."  
  
Trying to be nice to Cat. It wasn't her fault that he didn't say who he was talking. He just said, "That's right. I forgot. What about you Annie?"  
  
"I'd like that." Was all she could say with a smile. Tristan just smiled and left.  
  
After Tristan left they were wondering what Rory was up to. Lane got up from her seat and said, "I am going to check on Rory."  
  
"I'm coming with." Cat said to Lane. With that they left the room to go the kitchen.  
  
"Whoa, I can't believe it." Gretchen said about the problem that Rory doesn't know about.  
  
"Tell me about it." Annie said. "I don't even know if Tristan remembers."  
  
"I don't know. But maybe he does. I mean why would he ask you in particular to get together." Katie said.  
  
"Oh, I don't know Katie, Could it be the fact that they are old friends have anything to do about it." Said Gretchen sarcastically.  
  
"Besides that."Katie said to them.  
  
"Ok!" Annie and Gretchen said in unison. 


	14. The Call

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part14)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 14: The Call  
  
Annie and Gretchen tried to ignore Katie and talk about something else. They heard Rory, Lane and Cat coming back from the kitchen.  
  
"I don't know what happened since yesterday. I mean I liked him so much. And now. now I am doubting it." Rory said in response to Lane's question about her feelings for Tristan.  
  
"What are we talking about? And did you find any food?" Katie said to Rory, staring at the package in her hands.  
  
"Actually, I only found snacks, Twizzlers." Rory said while putting the package down. "I was just telling Lane that I am doubting Tristan."  
  
"I thought you were really into him?" Annie asked because she was concerned about her friend.  
  
"I was. But before when he was talking to you all, I heard him imply that he wanted to be my boyfriend. Rather then simply state that he was."  
  
"Ok, I see now." Katie said. "What I want to know is why did he leave?"  
  
"Well Katie, Tristan left because he had to take care of his dogs." Cat said to her sarcastically.  
  
"He has dogs? What kind?" Cat, Rory, and the others caught on to the joke. Katie started to join them. Then realized that they were laughing at her, so she stopped. Which made them even more.  
  
Once the laughter started to die down, they heard the phone ring. Rory didn't want to get it if it was Tristan. So she nodded to Lane, who was sitting right next to it, to pick it up.  
  
"Hello?" She said.  
  
"Hi, who is this?"  
  
"Lane."  
  
"Lane, Hi. Is Annie there?"  
  
"Actually she isn't." Lane said. He was a little upset. A little disappointed that he missed her. "Just kidding, come on it's been 5 minutes since you left. Where could she have gone?" She knew that it was Tristan. She had recognized his voice. She was just having fun, making him sad.  
  
"Can I talk to her?" Tristan didn't want to beg, because he would if he had to.  
  
"I guess." She gave the phone to Annie.  
  
"Hello." Annie said into the phone.  
  
"Hi Annie." He said.  
  
"Oh, Tristan, Hi what's up?"  
  
"Nothing. I was wondering if you wanted to go get some lunch tomorrow?"  
  
"Um, yeah, why not." Annie answered him.  
  
He had a smile on his face. He was just so happy that he could hang out with her. "Great. Well why don't I meet you at my office in Ramdial & Grant tomorrow? Around one?"  
  
"Ok, well I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Yep bye." Annie said and then hung up the phone.  
  
For that conversation everyone was listening to there every word. Literally. Once Annie took the phone from Lane, Lane told them whom it was. Then they all ran out of the living room. Rory and Cat were both on the phone in the kitchen. Lane, Gretchen and Katie were sharing the phone in Rory's room. They all hung up the phone and ran back into the living room.  
  
All except Rory. It didn't bother her. * They are just friends. They are just friends * She kept repeating those words until she was back in the room with the others. She wanted to change the subject. "So, do you guys want to go out?"  
  
"Sure." Cat said for the others.  
  
"Hey Cat speak for yourself." Katie said. "Gretchen and I want to stay here."  
  
"Well if you do, there really isn't a lot for you to do." Rory said to them. "What would you do?"  
  
"I was thinking that I would sleep or maybe watch TV." Gretchen told her.  
  
"Boring, boring people." Annie said while shaking her head.  
  
"Well, then you stay here. We are going someplace to meet guys." Cat said with a smile, forgetting her boyfriend for a second. She then hit her hand, as if punishing herself, and said "Sorry about that habit."  
  
"Sure Cat, I knew you meant it." Lane said.  
  
"Let's go. Have fun, here alone watching TV and sleeping." Rory screamed from the door with Lane, Cat and Annie behind her.  
  
"Bye, go, be gone." Katie said as she heard the door closed. "Finally. Ok, I am going to watch TV."  
  
"Same here. What do you want to watch?"  
  
"Don't know." Katie said while flipping the channels on Television. "What do you want to watch?"  
  
"I have no idea." 


	15. The Door

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part15)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 15: The Door  
  
Gretchen and Katie checked every channel on TV. Twenty minutes had passed and they still haven't found what they wanted to watch.  
  
While watching a special E! Entertainment they heard a knock on the door. They didn't know whether to answer it or not.  
  
"Who do you think that could be?" Gretchen asked.  
  
"Well, it's not them, Rory has her own key." Katie said. "Go get it." She was too lazy to get up off the couch.  
  
"Fine, but if it is some estranged murderer and he kills me, you're next on his list." Gretchen said while walking to the door.  
  
"Haha, That's funny." Katie said from the living room.  
  
"Who is it?" Gretchen asked the person in the hallway.  
  
"It's Dean. I'm looking from Rory. Is she home?" He asked through the door.  
  
Gretchen unlocked the door and opened it. "Hi, I'm Gretchen. Rory's not home right now."  
  
"OK, well can you tell her that I stopped by?"  
  
"Sure Dean." Gretchen said with a big smile.  
  
"Thanks Gretchen. That'd be great."  
  
"I'll tell her, bye." She said right before she had closed the door. Gretchen had walked back into the living room, with this sedate look on her face.  
  
"Who was that??"  
  
"Huh?" Gretchen got hit back into reality when she heard Katie. "Oh. A friend of Rory's, Dean."  
  
"A guy really? Was he cute?"  
  
"He wasn't that bad looking. But certainly not cuter that Tristan."  
  
"Cool. So when do you think they will be back?" Katie asked.  
  
"I don't know. They have only been gone for about an hour." Gretchen said before returning to changing the channels.  
  
~~~~~ At the Bar ~~~~~  
  
While sitting at the bar with the others Rory was enjoying herself. She was on her 5th vodka shot. * Could this night get any worse? * She thought it to herself.  
  
" Ok, Rory, I think you have had enough." Lane said to her after Cat pointed out how bad she looked.  
  
Annie decided to get paper towels to help Rory. While she was up Rory was getting testy.  
  
"What do you know, what I am going though." Rory said in protest.  
  
"What's up with you now?" Cat asked her.  
  
"God, I-we-he wasn't even thinking about us. He just called her and forgot about everything." Rory said to her.  
  
Cat looked at Rory then at her beer. She had one beer but still she had no clue what Rory was talking about.  
  
Rory continued saying, "You know, Tristan called Annie. He didn't even wait it out for more then a day or less then an hour. He called her 5minutes after the problem."  
  
Cat shook her head as if she remembers. Oh she remembered all right. But that wasn't why she was shaking her head. She noticed someone standing behind Rory.  
  
Annie had walked back into the conversation when Rory started telling Cat about what was up. And that was whom Cat was shaking her head at.  
  
Rory turned around and saw Annie right in front of her. She didn't know what to say to her. She wasn't angry with her. She was mad at Tristan. She just couldn't deal. She was fed up with everything. She couldn't deal so she stood up from her seat and left.  
  
Annie didn't want to upset her friendship with Rory because of Tristan. She had followed the tipsy Rory outside of the bar to the car. * Rory wasn't going to drive home * Annie thought. "Rory wait up!" She had called out to her. When she did Rory didn't bother to turn around. She just kept on going. "Rory come on stop!" she said.  
  
Rory stopped and said to Annie "Why? Why Annie? I am not mad at you. Why are you following me? I came out here for air, I don't want to talk."  
  
"But Rory we need to talk about it." Annie told her.  
  
"We don't have to talk about anything. Tristan is the one I really need to talk to." Rory said while leaning against her car.  
  
"More then you know Rory. Just hear me out about Tristan."  
  
"Ok, Annie."  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Gretchen and Katie where still watching the Matrix. They looked at all the other channel and still found nothing on. They were getting kind of bored. Actually Gretchen was the only bored one. She had ended up going to sleep. Katie was still awake because it was just too early and also because she ate all the Twizzlers.  
  
While Katie was up she heard the door knock. She didn't know who it was. But she was too lazy to get up, so she screamed to the person "Who is it?"  
  
"It's Katerina." She screamed back.  
  
When Katie screamed that woke up Gretchen.  
  
"What's going on?" She asked a stunned Katie who was walking to the door.  
  
" Katerina's here!" Katie told her.  
  
"Is she really here?" She told Katie who was opening up the door.  
  
"I thought that you couldn't make it." Katie said while walking her to the living room. "Katerina are you really here?"  
  
"Is there a spoon?" Inference to the movie they were watching. Katerina had to say the joke.  
  
"There is no spoon." Katie told her right back and gave her a hug.  
  
Gretchen stood up to give Katerina a hug and said, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, I wanted to surprise you guys; are at least you two surprised?"  
  
"Are you kidding, absolutely." Katie said.  
  
"So where are the others?" Katerina asked.  
  
"Oh they went out, to where I had no idea." Gretchen told her.  
  
~~~~~ At the Bar ~~~~~  
  
Kat and Lane where sitting inside waiting for then to come back inside.  
  
While outside Annie and Rory were still talking about Tristan.  
  
"It doesn't really bother me. I mean I really like Tristan. And you two are just friends. It doesn't bother me, really." Rory told Annie.  
  
" I know he probably just did that because he was angry and lots of things were going on in his head. Don't take it personally." Annie was going to say something very serious but she could find the words. They just came out funny. "One time.at band camp."  
  
Rory and Annie both started laughing.  
  
Annie stopped laugh and told Rory what she needed to say. "Just kidding. No, but really there was this on time at the beach, Tristan was angry with this girl that he tried to make friends in his sophomore year. While trying to forget about her we kind of had something."  
  
"You and Tristan went out together?" She was shocked but wasn't going to hold a grudge. It was years ago.  
  
"Yeah but only for one summer. It was only meant as a summer fling. Because he really liked that girl he had met in school. It didn't really bother me."  
  
"You mean me?"  
  
"Yeah you. Rory you are his world."  
  
"Thanks Annie." Rory said and gave her a hug. "Hey do you think we could head home?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll go get the others."  
  
Annie ran back inside to the bar to get them. Cat asked her "She everything all right?"  
  
"Everything is fine. I told her everything." Annie said.  
  
"Good I am glad. But why isn't she here with you." Lane said  
  
"She's outside waiting. She wants to go home."  
  
"Hey you have to tell me twice. Plus all the guys in here are old." Cat right back to her.  
  
"Ok, come on then." Annie told them.  
  
Within a few minutes they all came out. Rory gave her keys to Annie and went home. 


	16. The Song

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part16)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 16: The Song  
  
When Annie was driving she had an oldie station playing. But the other girls weren't paying very much attention to the radio.  
  
Rory was in a very deep conversation about her feeling for Tristan, again. She was telling Lane and Cat about the time when he serenaded her on their first date. She also them about the time she jumped to the wrong conclusion with Hannah.  
  
Annie was paying more attention to the radio than Rory. While listening to the radio the disc jockey said that, "We have a request coming from Hartford Connecticut."  
  
"Hey Guy's listen to the radio for a sec." Annie said loud enough for them to shut up and listen to the radio.  
  
"Hi, what's your name? And what is it you want to request?" The person on the radio said.  
  
"Hi, Tristan and I want to request Can't We Try by Raquel."  
  
"And what's the reason Tristan?" The DJ didn't want to be nosey but not a lot of guys request that song ever often.  
  
"I want it to show my girlfriend how much I love her and I want to tell her that I will try anything for her. I love you Rory."  
  
"Well thanks Tristan and here is your request." The disc jockey said before playing the song.  
  
Really listened to the lyrics, she had tears in her eyes.  
  
I see your face cloud over like a little girl's,  
  
And your eyes have lost their shine.  
  
You whisper something softly I'm not meant to hear,  
  
Baby, tell me what's on your mind.  
  
I don't care what people say  
  
About the two of us in different worlds.  
  
I love you so much that it hurts inside,  
  
Are you listening?  
  
Please listen to me, girl.  
  
1 Can't we try just a little bit harder?  
  
Can't we give just a little bit more?  
  
Can't we try to understand  
  
That its love we're fighting for?  
  
Can't we try just a little more passion?  
  
Can't we try just a little less pride?  
  
Love you so much, Baby,  
  
That it tears me up inside.  
  
I hear you on the telephone with god-knows who,  
  
Spilling out your heart for free.  
  
Everyone needs someone they can talk to  
  
Girl, that someone should be me.  
  
So many times, I tried to tell you,  
  
You just turned away.  
  
How did I know?  
  
My life is changing so fast now  
  
Leaves me lonely and afraid.  
  
Don't be afraid, no.  
  
Then the chorus repeated one last time. Rory really knew what he was trying to tell her. Especially at the last part which went:  
  
Don't let our love fade away.  
  
Don't let our love fade away.  
  
No matter what people say.  
  
No matter, no matter what they say.  
  
I need you more and more each day.  
  
Don't let our love fade away.  
  
No matter what people say.  
  
No matter, no matter what they say.  
  
Once the song was over Rory got herself composed and said "Annie, Can you step on it?"  
  
Annie didn't say anything she just put her foot on the gas. They weren't that far away from the apartments. It was only about a block and a half away.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
"I hope she heard me." He said out loud once he hung up the phone. He was getting a little worried that it has been 10minutes since he called the station. "She would have at least called me." He said out loud to himself.  
  
All of a sudden he heard the sound of screeching tires. "What the hell was that?" He said while looking out his front window. When he did he saw a girl jump out of the car and run in to his apartment building. He had noticed the face of the girl when she came into the light. * It's Rory. * He thought with a smile spreading across his face. He decided to get to the front door and unlock it when he did he opened the door slowly and stepped into the hallway to see Rory running towards him. All he could do was holding out his arms. Once Rory ran into his arms she was picked up in his warm embrace and was twirled around before she lowered her face to his.  
  
But just before they kissed Tristan told her "I love you." All she could answer with was with a kiss.  
  
After they had broken their kiss, Tristan placed her back on her feet and Rory told Tristan, "I love you too."  
  
"I'm sorry Rory." Tristan said. "Please forgive me."  
  
She gave him another kiss and said, "All is forgiven."  
  
"Do you want to come in?" Tristan asked her. It was not that late, it was only eleven.  
  
"Sure, let me just tell them I'm going to stay here." She told him. She was about to leave his embrace when he just tightened his grip.  
  
"I think they'll get it." Tristan said then gave her another kiss and dragged her into his apartment while closing the door behind him.  
  
"Ok" She said in the middle of another sweet kiss that he had given her.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Car ~~~~~  
  
"What do you think is happening up there?" Cat asked them.  
  
"Well I think that Rory will tell us a little later." Annie said.  
  
"Yeah, Cat. She has only been gone for about three minutes." Lane said, "Let's just be happy that they are making up."  
  
"Ok, fine. I guess I can wait." Cat told them in a baby voice.  
  
"I guess now that's settled we should go see how great a time Katie and Gretchen without us." Annie said while getting out of the car.  
  
"They will be so angry that they missed Tristan's public apology." Lane said while getting out as well.  
  
Cat didn't say anything while getting out she was just thinking about Tristan and Rory as a couple, * They looked so cute together. * She thought while looking up to the apartment building in front of them.  
  
The three had walked in silence into the hallway near Rory's apartment. They got to her door and all of them knocked on the door to get Katie and Gretchen's attention. They all noticed the knob turn as slow as ever. When the door was open they couldn't believe their eyes.  
  
"Oh my god!" Cat said. "Katerina?!"  
  
"Yup, hey guys. Come in. I bet you're really surprised."  
  
"Are you kidding if I you surprised me anymore I would need an Ambulance." Cat said to while giving her a big hug.  
  
"Cat! Let her breath, please!" Lane said to her.  
  
"Oh, sorry. You guys' talk, I have to make a phone call. I'll be in Rory's room if you need me." Cat said while walking back to Rory's room.  
  
"OK, We'll miss you." Annie said sarcastically  
  
"So, Katerina when did you get here?" Lane asked her.  
  
" About an half and hour ago." She answered.  
  
"That's cool. So, what did you guys do while we were out?" Lane asked Gretchen and Katie.  
  
"Yeah, did you met any imaginary men while you were here?" Annie said jokingly.  
  
"Haha, Annie that's funny. No, no imaginary guys but one guy named Dean came by." Gretchen said as if she were in a trance.  
  
"Really, Rory's ex-ex-ex boyfriend? He stopped by? I wonder what that was all about." Lane said.  
  
"Same here." Annie said.  
  
"Oh but you three will never guess what happened to Rory. They got back together." Lane said all giddy.  
  
"Who's they? Rory and??" Katerina said to Lane.  
  
"Rory and Tristan that's who." Annie said with a smile across her face. 


	17. Bonding?

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part17)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 17: Bonding?  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Rory and Tristan were still kissing in his living room when they heard the phone ring. Tristan broke away as if to go pick it up but Rory stopped him.  
  
"Whoever it is they will go away. Tristan let machine pick it up." Rory told him.  
  
"I don't want any interruptions." He said while standing up to pull the phone wire out of the phone. "Ok, now where were we?" He said once returning from his seat next to Rory.  
  
"We were right here." Rory whispered into his ear.  
  
She took his hand and walked them to the back of Tristan's apartment. She led them straight into Tristan's bedroom. She then let go of his hand and walked towards his bed.  
  
Tristan just stood there watching her move gracefully towards the bed. He watched her every move. The room wasn't very well lit. The only light that was coming into the room was the one from the hallway. It was just enough light to make out each other's faces.  
  
Rory sat down on his bed and waited for him to get on the bed with her. He was still standing at the end of the bed. "That's the sweetest thing that someone has ever done for me."  
  
"Well I didn't know how to express my feelings for you." He told her. "I'm glad you liked it." He said while leaning onto the bed with the palms of his hands.  
  
"I did. Thank you." She said while moving down to the edge of the bed to give him a kiss.  
  
At that Tristan gave in. He slowly moved onto the bed. Bringing his knees to the end of it like in a cat position. Just waiting to make the first move. He was then sitting on his knees on top of the bed and touched Rory on the check with his fingertips. She took her hands and placed them around Tristan's neck. He looked at her with she much passion. He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her on her tender red lips. He started to get comfortable and moved his hands to her waist and positioned himself directly under Rory. She took his after his action by starting to lie on top of him, but at the same time kissing her.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Lane, Annie, Gretchen, Katie and Katerina were just sitting around chatting when all of a sudden they noticed a gasping sound coming from the hallway. And they heard it come closer.  
  
It was Cat! She had been crying, they didn't know why but someone had to ask. Annie was the most concerned so she asked, "Cat what's wrong?"  
  
"Frankie and I just." Cat started to cry even more then before.  
  
"Just what?" Lane said.  
  
"Cat, calm down and tell us what happened." Gretchen said to her while rubbing her back.  
  
"Ok, well." Cat said trying to compose herself. "I called Frankie because I wanted to call him and tell him that I loved him. I just thought that what Tristan did for Rory was the cutest thing that anyone has every done. So I call him, I told him and."  
  
"What did he do to make you cry?" Katie asked her.  
  
"Well when I told him that I loved him, he told me that he wanted to see other people." She finished with.  
  
"That jerk." Gretchen couldn't believe him.  
  
"What an asshole" Lane said.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Annie told her.  
  
"It's ok, I love him enough to let him go." Cat told them.  
  
"But that doesn't make any sense." Katie told her.  
  
"I don't care." Cat said to her and then started to cry again.  
  
They all sat listening to Cat cry. They felt bad for her. She had been with Frankie for about 5 years. They thought that Cat and Frankie would have gotten married. That won't be happening any time soon. 


	18. The night

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part18)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 18: The Night  
  
Nearly two whole hours had passed since Rory had got there. They just got comfortable lying on top of each other. They had talked about anything. Rory had her head resting on Tristan's chest with her eyes closed but she was still listening. * He really loves me. * She thought to herself as if this night couldn't get any better.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yeah Tristan?"  
  
"Do you know how much you mean to me?" He said to her.  
  
"More than all the money in the world?" Rory said while sitting up onto her knees. "Oh, how about 'I can't even find words to express them.'"  
  
"I would have said the second one if you gave me a chance to say it."  
  
"Well, what can I say I love you so much that you espied it to me." She said with a big smile.  
  
"You're so cute." He said then gave her a kiss on the forehead, then a hug and then went back to lying on the bed with her head on his chest.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Once Cat stopped crying she had decided to go to bed. The others tried to stay up and wait for Rory to come home. But Gretchen and Katie had fallen asleep so they didn't wait up for Rory. Lane, Annie and Katerina waited until about three in the morning and just gave up.  
  
  
  
Rory never actually got home. Because when Cat woke up at about six thirty she walked into Rory's room to see if she was home. When she did she didn't see anybody in the bed; it hasn't even been slept in. She had walked back into the living room to tell them about Rory but they never woke up.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Rory was asleep on Tristan's chest. Tristan was wide wake but tried not to move. This is what he had pictured. He pictured Rory being his wife, and waking up to her beautiful face every morning. While he was thinking that all of a sudden he heard his alarm. The time 7 o'clock kept on flashing and the alarm wouldn't stop until he moved off the bed to turn it off. He decided to let it go even though it would wake up Rory.  
  
On or about the third time the alarm buzzed Rory started to move around. She awoke to Tristan staring at her face.  
  
"Good morning sleepy head." Tristan greeted her with.  
  
"Hey you." She said back while rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Sleep well?"  
  
"Like an absolute baby." Rory said with a smile. "What time is it?"  
  
"Well it's about five after seven."  
  
"Oh, crap I better get going." She said while jumping off the bed and walking to the front door.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little while longer and have a cup of coffee before you go?" Tristan said while following her to the door.  
  
"I got to go get ready for work." Then she kissed him on the cheek and went to her apartment.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Cat was sitting up awake watching the news trying to not wake the others up. She was watching a special on the great restaurants to go to when away up in Connecticut. She was getting a little depressed so she decided to watch one of Rory's movies. When she had gotten up to see the movie collection she heard some rattling noises coming from the door. She went to go check it out, when she was in the hallway she saw the knob turning and the door opening.  
  
"Rory?" She said in a whisper when she saw Rory walking into her apartment.  
  
Rory had jumped back and said, "Oh Cat, you scared me." She was holding her keys to her chest to try to catch her breath. "What are you doing up so early?"  
  
"Nothing really." Cat told her. "Frankie and I broke up last night."  
  
"Oh Cat, I am so sorry to hear that." Rory said to her while giving her a hug.  
  
"It's ok, I'm fine with it." Cat said. "No really I am."  
  
"Ok, well I want to hear all about it later on tonight ok?"  
  
"You got it." Cat said putting her hands in her pockets while giving Rory a cheesy smile.  
  
"Ok." Rory said while walking to her room not noticing Cat's smile.  
  
Rory took a shower, had gotten dressed and was ready to go at about a quarter to eight. When Rory was leaving Cat was still the only one up so she just waved to Cat to tell her that she was leaving and left. 


	19. The Lunch

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part19)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 19: The Lunch  
  
~~~~~ The Firm ~~~~~  
  
The work that day for Rory and Tristan was special. They finished and went through everything with a smile. There was no weird conversation at all. They never held anything back. They were very lovey dovey.  
  
At about 12:30 Annie stopped by Rory's office before she met with Tristan for lunch. When he did Rory was not in her office. So she went to see Tristan a little early. She knocked on his office door. When she did there was no answer. She took the liberty to open the door.  
  
She was in for a surprise. Because when she opened up the door she saw Tristan sitting in his leather chair and on his desk, Rory was sitting. All she said was, " Hey guess who?"  
  
"Oh, Annie." Rory said when she turned around and jumped off the desk.  
  
"Hi, is it time for lunch? Already?" Tristan said while looking at his desk clock.  
  
"No I'm a little early." Annie said. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I'll get my jacket and we can go." Tristan said to Annie then gave Rory a kiss before he his office for lunch.  
  
"Have fun you two. Don't talk about me the whole time." Rory said just before they left Tristan's office.  
  
"We won't." Tristan said. "I love you." He said just before he left.  
  
"I love you too." Rory answered him with.  
  
When Tristan and Annie got to the diner they first sat down before ordering.  
  
"This is a nice place." Annie said.  
  
"It is really nice." Tristan said. Then there were a few minutes of silence. "I need to tell you something."  
  
"What's up?" Annie said with a concerned look.  
  
"While Rory and I have been going out for a long time and I was thinking about asking her." Tristan said.  
  
"Asking her what? You're asking her to move in with you?" Annie said with a smile.  
  
"Well that would be part of it." Tristan said.  
  
"Part of it? Are you going to ask her what I think you are going to ask her?" Annie said.  
  
"If you are thinking of me marrying her than yeah that is what I am asking. Well what do you think; do you think it's a good idea? I really want to know your opinion, Annie." Tristan said with a concerned look, wondering what she would think.  
  
"Tristan I think you should go for it. Any girl would deserve a great guy like you. Rory, is so luck to have you as a boyfriend." She told him.  
  
"So, when do you think would be would a good time to ask her." Tristan said.  
  
" I think this weekend would be a good time." Annie said.  
  
"Thanks so much." He said as he was burying his head into his menu.  
  
"Tristan what are you doing?" Annie asked him.  
  
"Oh me?" he said moving his eyes to look right at her. "Nothing, a friend of mine just walked in."  
  
"He is your friend and you don't like this guy?" Annie told him right back.  
  
"No, he is a good friend of mine. But last time I talked to him I told him that my girlfriend had a friend that he might be interested in him. But it is not you. Crap he is coming over." Tristan said trying to not look at him.  
  
"And why wouldn't he?" She said with a smile.  
  
"Fine but be nice." He said.  
  
"Aren't I always." She said back.  
  
"Hi Tristan." Tristan's friend said.  
  
"Hi Bruce. This is Annie an old friend of mine. Annie this is Bruce." Tristan said.  
  
"Hi Bruce nice to meet you." Annie said with a smile.  
  
"Hi." Bruce had said with no interest. "Tristan pal how have ya been?"  
  
"Not bad." Tristan said.  
  
"That's good, so when will I be able to meet this girlfriends-friend of yours?" Bruce asked.  
  
"Soon buddy." Tristan said.  
  
"Ok, that's cool. Look I got to jet see you soon. Nice meeting you Annie." Bruce said.  
  
"You too." Annie said just before he left.  
  
"So Tristan, what friends are we talking about?" Annie questioned him.  
  
"Cat. And I know she has a boyfriend. But you see they could just be friends. He just wants to meet people. Other then the friends that he has now." Tristan said.  
  
"Actually Tristan, Cat and her boyfriend broke up last night." She told him.  
  
"Really, that was quick. Do you think that she would go for Bruce?" Tristan said.  
  
"Maybe. He looks like Cat's type." Annie said to him.  
  
"Ok, cool." Tristan said.  
  
"You want to order now?" Annie asked him.  
  
"Yeah." Tristan said with a nod. 


	20. The Question

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part20)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 20: The Question  
  
Well throughout the end of the week Tristan and Rory were happier than ever. They had gotten very close. Even with all of Rory's friends at her apartment they were never in their way.  
  
On the Friday, almost a week since Tristan met Rory after all those years, the girls decided to have a party. They talked to Rory and Tristan about it and they thought it wouldn't be a problem. Cat hosted the party in Rory's apartment. She told Lane to get decoration, Katie and Gretchen to find some source of entertainment. Rory, Tristan and Annie had to find people to come. Rory and Annie talked to Tristan about asking some of his friends. He didn't like the idea but he gave in.  
  
"Ok, I will invite a few of my friends. But I don't know if they would want to come." Tristan said to the girls.  
  
Rory said, "We don't care. As long as people come."  
  
"That's right, but make sure to invite Bruce for cat." Annie said to him in particular.  
  
"Ok, I will. Well I am going to go to my apartment to call, now." He said but remembered something before he left, "Oh, Rory I almost forgot. I have something special for you at my apartment. Come over later around 8?"  
  
"Sure, I'll see you later." She said with a smile. She couldn't wait to see what he had for her.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Tristan was done with fixing up the finishing touches. He had the room lit with candles all around. There were lined up in the hallway so she could see her way when Rory came in. There were even some lit in his room if it led that far. Tristan then ran back into his kitchen to check on the food he was cooking.  
  
"Perfect." He said to himself. "Everything is simply perfect."  
  
He was looking at the stuff in his apartment to see if he missed anything. When he noticed that he didn't he heard a knock at the door. He turned his head to the door, and then put his hand in his pocket to make sure that he had it. He checked the room one more time and walked to the front door. He opened the door to a very casual looking Rory. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt.  
  
"Hi." He said to her.  
  
"Hey you." She said to him while giving him a kiss on the cheek. "It's beautiful." She said while glancing at the hallway full of candles.  
  
"Thanks." He said while shutting the door behind her.  
  
"What's the special thing that you have for me? I am sorry to rush you, but we got to go back over there in a half hour." She said when she walked into his living room.  
  
"Well, first let me say that we don't have to go over. Second I have prepared something great for you tonight." He said while taking her hand and moving her to the couch to sit.  
  
"How is that possible, I mean your friends are coming over and my friends haven't even met them once." Rory said in disbelief.  
  
"Let's just say I played the 'boyfriend want to spent more time with the girlfriend' card." Tristan said while sitting down next to her on the couch.  
  
" That's so sweet of you. I thought that you would have burned something but it smell really good." She said to him.  
  
"Thank you very much for that complement." Tristan said. Then he took her hand again and held it in his. He was going to do it. It was now or never. "Rory, you know how much I love you. I would do anything for you, you know that." She nodded at him and he continued. "Well, I think we should go another step farther. Just listen to me first, don't jump to the wrong conclusion. I have known you for a long time now. I mean you and I both know that we know everything there is to know about each other. I have loved you for years. Even after high school, I thought about you. In college I thought that if I turned around everywhere I went I would find you again. And now about 7 years later since high school we found this relationship that was inside all along." After he said all of that he put his hand into his pocket and felt the box. He started to stand up. "And I would like to ask you," he pulled the box out of his pocket and went down to one knee. "I love you Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, Will you do me the honor of marrying me?" He asked with the box open to the shiny 8-krat diamond.  
  
"Tristan I." She was about to start crying, but finished what she wanted to say before the floodgates opened. "I will love to marry you." At that she kissed him and hugged him. * I love him * She thought to herself when she was in his warm embrace. * I can't believe it. * 


	21. The Parties

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part21)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 21: The Parties  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
The party was almost ready. Cat was trying to put the decorations up by jumping up and down to hit the place on the wall were she wanted to put it. Lane, Katie and Gretchen were sitting in the couch like bumps on a log, just watching Cat. Annie was trying her best to getting stuff ready with Cat. Katerina was trying to get the food ready. When they heard a knock on the door Cat couldn't wait for someone to ready decide so she ran to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hi, welcome to the party. I'm Cat." She said to the person at the door.  
  
"Hi Cat, I'm Bruce." He said, "I'm a friend of Tristan's."  
  
"Nice to meet you." She said to him with a smile.  
  
"You too." He said right back to her.  
  
"Come on in." She said to him while leading him into the living room. Then she introduced him to the other girls. "Bruce this is Lane, Annie, Katie, Katerina and Gretchen."  
  
"Nice to meet you all. I met Annie a few days ago."  
  
"Oh really?" Cat said to him.  
  
"Yeah. Well."  
  
Bruce and Cat started to talk a little bit more then all of a sudden they heard a knock on the door. Cat didn't want to stop talking to Bruce; he was really nice to talk too. So she asked, " Annie can you get that?"  
  
"Sure Cat." She said to her.  
  
"Thanks, Annie."  
  
She opened the door to a guy who was about 6' 2" with blonde hair. He looked like an actor to her but didn't want to be blunt. "Hi, I'm Annie. Come on in."  
  
"Thanks. I'm Sean S. Williams. But people just call me Sean."  
  
"That's a nice name." Annie said like a little girl.  
  
"Thanks I think." Sean said.  
  
Lane was waiting for Henry to come over but got a phone call. Lane picked it up; it was Henry. He told her he got reservations at the opening night of a new Italian Restaurant. He then said that he would be there to pick her up in 5 minutes.  
  
So Lane went to the door put on her jacket and went to open the door. When she did she opened it to another guest.  
  
"Hi." He said.  
  
"Hi, I'm lane. But I can't stay. Katie, Katerina and Gretchen are in the living room. Bye." She said while rushing out of Rory's apartment.  
  
"Thanks. Bye." He said while giving her a weird look as she was walking a way. He walked into the living room like Lane had told him. He saw the three girls sitting on the couch and the four other people standing around in the apartment. "Hi, I'm Jack." He said to them.  
  
Katie and Katerina weren't interest in this one either so they let Gretchen have him. "Hi, I'm Gretchen." She said to him blushing.  
  
Gretchen and Jack were talking now. Katerina and Katie were getting bored so they went for a walk into the kitchen.  
  
"Well I wonder where Rory is?" Katie said while finding something to eat.  
  
"Tristan talked to us about them ditching the part. He had something planned for Rory." Katerina told Kate thinking that she would know. "HE talked to us, ALL of us. Were you not listening?"  
  
"Whatever, I don't care anymore. So it looks like Tristan called a 'special group' of friends for each of us." Katie said noticing the group in the living room.  
  
"Yeah, well I hope we don't have weird people, like not from around here. They would probably have been born in the desert." Katerina mentioned to her.  
  
"Let's not jump to the wrong conclusion." Katie said.  
  
Then there was a knock on the door. Katerina took a deep breath and walked to the door. Katie was right on Katerina's tail because once Katerina stopped at the door Katie pushed her right into it.  
  
"Will you open it already?" Katie said to her.  
  
"Oh, Katie I'm sorry." She said right back as she was opening it.  
  
Once she opened it there stood two really hot guys.  
  
"Hi, I'm Brendan and this is my friend Jason." He said to her.  
  
"Hi I'm Katie."  
  
"And I'm Katerina." She said while looking at Jason. "Would you like to come in?" Directing the question to both of them.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Tristan was happy that she had said yes. When she said those words he was full of joy that he jumped his butt onto the couch while kissing her. * I can't believe it * He thought. * It's really coming true * He needed to take a breath though so he tried to get Rory to go slow and pull away.  
  
"Rory, I love you." Tristan said to her while having their foreheads touching.  
  
"I love you too." She said with a smile.  
  
" Are you ready to go into the kitchen to have something to eat?" Tristan said to her after getting up off the couch.  
  
"I'm starving. What are we having?" Rory said while following him into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table.  
  
At the stove Tristan was stirring a top of ravioli. "Well, if you must know. I made Ravioli and sauce; with a side dish of a Greek salad and a glass of red wine. And for dessert I made something special but you just have to wait."  
  
"Smells heavenly. Is it almost ready?" She asked with anticipation.  
  
"Actually it is done. So would you like that salad or pasta first?" He said pointing to the salad that was sitting right in front of her.  
  
"I'll take the salad first." She said while picking up her fork.  
  
Tristan took his seat across the table from Rory. He didn't bother eating. He just watched her. He watched her pick up the lettuce with her fork. He saw the fork move from the plate to her mouth in a graceful motion. * She is so beautiful. * He though to himself while staring.  
  
"Tristan, what's wrong?" She said while waving the fork in front of his face.  
  
"Nothing. I'm just watching you eat. You look so cute when you do." He said while picking up his fork and feeding himself.  
  
"Ok." She said to him and then went back to eating.  
  
Once they finish their salads Tristan made two dishes of Ravioli with sauce for the two of them. They finished their meals and both decided to clean the dishes. If they were to do it once they had gotten married then couldn't find a better time to start.  
  
"Rory, this is great isn't it?" Tristan said to her while washing the first dish.  
  
"What do you mean?" She said while getting ready to dry it.  
  
"While I mean, this, us doing this together. I mean we will have to do this when we get married. I can't even believe you said yes, I mean I remember when we were in high school and you this blind hatred for me that you didn't even bother to change your mind about any of it." He said while giving her the dished  
  
"Well a lot has happened to me since then. I mean I didn't like you the second time I saw you in the café. But it all changed after you smiled. I mean when you really smiled. You gave me a sense of reassurance that you might have." She said while drying them a putting them away.  
  
They finished the dishes and when into the living room. Rory was sitting down on the couch and Tristan was getting dessert from the kitchen.  
  
"Are you almost ready?" She said to him from the living room.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be in, in a sec." Tristan said to her.  
  
She was just sitting in the living room couch with all the candles lit around her. She couldn't believe at how beautiful he made this night for the two of them.  
  
"Ok, now for dessert." He said while walking in with a picnic basket behind them.  
  
"What is it?" She said.  
  
"Open your mouth and close your eyes." Tristan said to her as he placed the basket on the table and opened the top.  
  
"What are you going to do?" She questioned him.  
  
"Just do it." He said back to her.  
  
"Fine." She said while closing her eyes and opening her mouth.  
  
Tristan fished in the basket. He pulled out a chocolate covered strawberry. He took the strawberry and fed it to Rory. She took it and devoured it quickly but pleasantly.  
  
"Wow, that was really good." Was all that she could answer with while she was opening her eyes to look at him.  
  
He was just looking at her eat the strawberry. He never told her not to open her eyes. When he saw he opening up her eyes he leaned towards her and kissed her. He didn't keep his hands in one place. He moved them up and down her back and ran them through her hair. She just placed her hands by the nape of his neck near the top of his man tailored button down shirt. She took her thumb and forefinger and started to unbutton his shirt.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He questioned her advances.  
  
"Were going to have to do it sometime." She said staring hard into his eyes.  
  
He kissed her on the lips one more time before moving down into her kissing her neck. 


	22. The Dinner

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part22)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 22: The Dinner  
  
In Rory's apartment Cat was getting to know Bruce. Annie was trying to learn more about Sean. Gretchen found out that Jack used to model in New York while he was taking acting classes in NYU. Katie learned from Brendan that he was born in Canada. Jason told Katerina that he was in a Rock band.  
  
They were all having nice time, someone then decided to have a group conversation. But it really didn't work. Cat and Bruce when to there our secluded part of the room. Cat didn't know it at the time but Bruce was ready to get nice and cozy. Annie was telling seam how cool it was that Tristan invited him. Gretchen and jack kept on talking. And Katie, Katerina, Jason and Brendan were having involved conversation on how so unreal sci-fi television shows are.  
  
  
  
They had no idea where all the time went. Because it was about 1:30. When Cat and Bruce broke away from each other. Cat thought that it was time for him to leave so she said a few more things while walking him to the door.  
  
"Well Bruce, I had a really nice time tonight." Cat said.  
  
"I hope I can see you again." Bruce said to her.  
  
"I don't know maybe." She said with a smile.  
  
"Night Cat." Bruce said before he almost gave her a kiss.  
  
She stepped backward in to the apartment and said, "Goodnight."  
  
When Cat walked back into the living room she notice the other 4 girls sitting on the couch.  
  
"When did the guys go?" Cat asked them.  
  
"Well they left around 12. Did you have fun?" Annie said to her.  
  
"Yeah I did. But now I feel guilty about making out with Bruce." Cat told her.  
  
"But Cat, Frankie broke up with you. Why would you feel guilty?" Katerina asked her.  
  
"Just because. Let's just leave it at that." Cat said.  
  
"I'm tired, I am going to bed." Annie said.  
  
"It looks like Gretchen and Katie already have. Quick where are their bras?" Katie said and started to laugh.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Rory spent most of the evening and the morning at Tristan's apartment. They both didn't expect to do what they had done. They were both to tired to sleep so they just stayed up after just having sex. Rory sat her head on his bare chest while they lay on the bed. They were just trying to absorb the feelings that were running through their heads. It was about 7:30 in the morning Tristan was thinking that this is what he had wanted all along.  
  
Rory was thinking to herself * How am I going to tell my mom. * "Tristan, do you think we could hold off telling my parents." Rory blurted out without thinking.  
  
"What? Why Rory? Are you having second thoughts?" Tristan said while sitting up.  
  
"No, Tristan nothing like that I just wanted you to get to know my family for a while." Rory said.  
  
"I see so, I have to get approval from the family." Tristan said to her.  
  
"Something along those lines. Now that we have gotten that settled, I got to call my mom." Rory said while picking up the phone.  
  
He just watched he make her phone call. And talk to her mother.  
  
"Hi Mom." Rory said into the phone.  
  
"Hi Rory, What's wrong? I am getting my pre-rest rest." Lorelai asked her. She was yawning when she picked up.  
  
"Nothing's wrong I just wanted to see how things were." Rory told her.  
  
"Well, things are just fine. Luke's fine, your grandparents are grumpy but fine." Lorelai said while sitting up in her bed.  
  
"That's good. So are you and Luke going to grandma and grandpas, tonight?" Rory didn't mean to pry.  
  
"Yeah, I am pretty certain we are. Why do you ask?" Lorelai asked her.  
  
"I was wondering if they had room for two more people." Rory said.  
  
"I'm sure that they can make some." Lorelai said. "Do you want to come?"  
  
"Yeah, call grandma and tell her that I will be there with Tristan." Rory said to her.  
  
"Yeah ok sweetie, that's funny." Lorelai said.  
  
"Bye, see ya tonight." Rory said before hanging up the phone. She then said to Tristan, "I hope you don't have any plans for tonight?"  
  
"Actually I do. I have to meet my girlfriends family."  
  
"I see, that's too bad, I guess you are going to have to cancel on her." She said to him while giving him a kiss.  
  
  
  
Tristan went throughout the day worrying about dinner tonight. He was so nervous that he kind of zoned out at times.  
  
Rory was wondering why he was doing that. So she started to talk to him, "So I was rethinking about telling them."  
  
He didn't said anything, he didn't make any sudden movement.  
  
"I am going to tell them if the night goes well."  
  
She still got no response.  
  
"Tristan, I also have something to tell you. I am Pregnant."  
  
"Huh? What were you talking about, Rory?" Tristan said.  
  
"Nothing Tristan, I am going to tell them tonight if all goes well." Rory said, trying to ease out of the conversation that was supposed to be a joke.  
  
"Ok." He said.  
  
"Tristan everything is going to be fine. They're not going to bite your head off. They will probably stare at you but that's about it." Rory said to him for reassurance.  
  
"I know nothing bad will happen." Tristan said while walking her to his apartment door to let her get ready for tonight's dinner.  
  
"Ok good. Well I am going to get going. I will you at ten to seven." Rory said to him and giving him a kiss and leaving.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Cat, Annie, Gretchen, Katerina, and Katie were very tired from the party the night before. When Rory walked into her apartment she saw all the girls sleeping on the couch. She was wondering how the party went, well not really. She really wanted to tell them about Tristan's proposal. So she went back to the front door and slammed it shut. It actually worked. Everyone was stirring from the couch.  
  
"Hello?" She screamed from the entrance.  
  
Annie was the only one who ran to see her. Because she knew something about Tristan's surprise. "Hi, What's up?"  
  
"Nothing really." Rory said with a smile. "We're engaged!" She screamed to them.  
  
"What? Did I hear you correctly?" Cat said standing in the hallway with a smile.  
  
"Yeah you heard me loud and clear. We're engaged." Rory repeated to make sure it was real.  
  
"Oh, Rory I am so happy for the both of you." Annie said to her and gave her a hug.  
  
"Thanks. Tonight Tristan and I are going to my grandparents for dinner." Rory said.  
  
"Why?" Katerina said while rubbing her eyes.  
  
"To meet my family of course." Rory said.  
  
"Oh, was it his idea?" Katie asked her.  
  
"No, it was mine." Rory said while walking to her room.  
  
The others just looked at each other wondering why. Why would Rory want to have dinner with her family and fiancée or rather then just her fiancée.  
  
"Stop wondering. I want to tell them and meet him at the same time." Rory screamed from her room.  
  
  
  
Rory was ready and waiting for Tristan at 6:30. She was wearing a light blue flowered print dress that was just about floor length. She was sitting in living room talking to the girls. She told them the way he proposed. Then they started to talk about the week and a half that they have spent with Rory. Rory was getting very emotional with them then they gave her the hug a big hug. When they gave her the hug they heard the doorbell.  
  
Annie went to get it while Rory wiped away her tears and fixed her makeup. Once she was ready she was ready she walked into the hallway. Tristan's jaw just dropped when he saw Rory.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" She said while giving him her left hand with the ring.  
  
"So we are going to give them the news tonight?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Maybe if all goes well. But my mom might have already caught on." Rory said while giving him a smile.  
  
"Let's go." Tristan said while putting her hand in his arm.  
  
~~~~~ Gilmore Mansion ~~~~~  
  
The ride from their apartment to Rory's grandparents house wasn't that bad. It only took about 7 minutes. The worst was almost over. The first step was getting there, which they had done. Then everyone would probably interrogate them.  
  
Rory and Tristan were holding hands when they got the front door. They weren't ready to ring the doorbell. Rory saw her mother's jeep in the driveway so that meant that she was already inside.  
  
"Ok." Rory said out loud while taking her other hand to ring the doorbell.  
  
All of a sudden the door opened. It was Rory's grandmother Emily. She stood there with a smile on her face.  
  
Rory was the first to speak. " Hi grandma."  
  
"Rory, sweetheart, how are you?" Her grandmother asked. But before Rory could answer her she said something else. "Who is your cute friend?"  
  
"Tristan DuGrey, ma'am." Tristan said while taking his hands and leading him into the house.  
  
Rory just followed them in. On her way into the house her mother ran up to her and stopped her from going into the living room to have drinks. "How are you? Are you ok? Is something wrong?"  
  
"No mom I am just fine." Rory told her.  
  
"Then why come to dinner with your Mother, Luke and your grandparents?"  
  
"No reason. I just wanted to spend time with my. my family that's all." Rory was trying really hard not to tell her mother about Tristan.  
  
"Um. OK. If you say so." Lorelai said to her. * Something's up * She thought. * But what could it be? *  
  
Rory walked past her mother and into the living room. She saw Tristan and her grandfather talking and her grandmother getting a drink for Luke. "Hi Luke." She said while sitting next to Tristan.  
  
"Rory, how are ya?" Luke asked her.  
  
"I'm good." She said with a smile.  
  
"That's good." Luke said.  
  
"So Tristan and Rory how long have you two known each other?" Emily asked her and Tristan.  
  
Rory and Tristan just looked at each other when the question was asked. Tristan took Rory's hand and held it. Tristan took that question, "Well we met in high-school and she hated me. And about a week in a half ago we bumped into each other."  
  
"Are you happy?" Emily asked them.  
  
"Mom will you stop before you even start?" Lorelai said to her mother.  
  
"I don't she why that is a bad question." Emily said to her right back.  
  
"Mom."  
  
"But I don't." Emily was shocked but decided stop.  
  
"Mother!" Lorelai screamed at her. " I'm sorry."  
  
"No don't be I deserved it." Emily said sulking.  
  
"I guess we should be heading into the dining room." Richard said while leading Luke in.  
  
  
  
Dinner went well. The conversations were light and calm. There were no fights. Once dessert was coming out Rory took Tristan's hand and gave him a nod. Rory cleared her throat. She said, "May I have you attention."  
  
"What is it Rory?" Emily asked her.  
  
"Mom will you let her speak?" Lorelai said to Emily. "Go ahead Rory." Lorelai said to Rory.  
  
"Thanks. I have to make an announcement." She took a deep breath. "Everyone Tristan and I are engaged."  
  
"I knew it!" Lorelai shouted.  
  
"What?" Luke asked her.  
  
"I knew it, I knew that was why she came." Lorelai told him. "Honey, Congratulations!"  
  
"Thanks mom."  
  
Emily stood up out of her chair and went to Rory to give her a hug. "Congratulations, Sweetheart."  
  
"Thanks Grandma. Luke, Grandpa, Are you happy for me?" Rory said.  
  
"I'm thrilled Rory." Richard said as he made his way over to her chair to kiss were forehead and shake Tristan's hand.  
  
"You'll make a beautiful bride." Luke said to her from his seat across the table from her.  
  
"Thank you. Both." Rory said.  
  
  
  
It was about a quarter to ten when Rory and Tristan decided to leave. "We're going to get going." Rory said while getting up off the couch.  
  
"Ok, well Rory I'll talk to your mother tomorrow about the wedding. I'll call you so we can look for dresses." Emily told Rory. She looked at Lorelai and said, "I'm so glad you're letting me help with everything."  
  
"Well I wouldn't let you do mine. I thought that you could help with Rory's since your paying for half." Lorelai said to her mother.  
  
"Ok Grandma. I'll talk to you later." Rory said to her.  
  
"It was nice to meet you. Dinner was delicious." Tristan said to Emily.  
  
"Goodbye." Emily said. "Lorelai can you walk them to the door?"  
  
"Sure Mom." Lorelai said.  
  
"Goodbye Rory. Welcome to the family Tristan." Luke said to them.  
  
Richard sat reading one of his newspapers. While Rory said goodbye. "Goodnight Grandpa."  
  
"Nice to see you Rory." Was all he said not even looking up from the newspaper.  
  
Lorelai walked Tristan and Rory to the door. "I'm so happy for the both of you."  
  
"Thanks Lorelai, you know one of these day you and Luke should come to bye for dinner with us." Tristan said.  
  
"It sound like a plan, Tristan." She said and gave him a hug.  
  
"I'll talk to you soon, Mom" Rory said.  
  
"Goodnight sweetie." She said to her and gave her a kiss on her forehead and let them go on their way home. 


	23. The Dresses

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part23)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 23: The Dresses  
  
Tristan and Rory were so happy that they told her family. That once they were finished at Rory's grandparents house they went to Tristan's parents. Even after that on Sunday they wanted to get married. It's kinda hard to believe but they were happy for the both of them. Rory and Tristan were happy that everyone was so understanding.  
  
Rory and Tristan were sitting in the living room in her apartment watching a movie with her friends. While watching the movie the phone rang. It was Lorelai. She needed to talk to Rory about going dress shopping tomorrow around noon. Lorelai wanted to get that part of there problems out of the way. Rory didn't mind. But Rory told her mother that her bridesmaids were around and asked if they should come. Lorelai thought that it was a good idea to have them come. 'Kill two birds with one stone' was what she said.  
  
Once Rory got off the phone she said, "Annie, Cat, Katerina, Gretchen and Katie, I was wondering if you would like to be my bridesmaids. And of course Lane, you would be my maid of honor."  
  
"I thought that it was understood?" Cat said to Rory.  
  
"Really Rory I would absolutely love to be your bridesmaid." Annie said.  
  
"Great then I won't go into work at all tomorrow." Rory said to Tristan.  
  
"I don't know what I will do without you for a whole day." Tristan said with a puppy dogface.  
  
"I don't know either." Rory said while giving his a kiss.  
  
"I'm going to go home. I'll see you tomorrow night. I love you." He said to her then gave here a kiss.  
  
"Bye I'll see ya." She said to him.  
  
~~~~~ Monday Afternoon ~~~~~  
  
Rory, Lane, Annie, Cat, Katerina, Katie, and Gretchen were ready and waiting for Lorelai to come to Rory's apartment. They knew that they had to take two cars because Lorelai could only fit four.  
  
Lorelai got there around 12 O'clock on the dot. "You guys ready to go?" She asked while pushing her way into the apartment.  
  
"Yup." Cat said while putting on her coat.  
  
"Ok, well we'll have to go in two cars. Rory you drive 3 more and I'll take 3." Lorelai said.  
  
"That's fine. Annie, Cat, and Katerina you are coming with me in my car. Lane, Gretchen and Katie you go with my mom." Rory said while pushing all of them out of her apartment.  
  
"Ok, now that that's settled, lets go. I told my mother that we would meet her there." Lorelai said on her way down the steps.  
  
They all ran out to the cars and Rory followed Lorelai to the bridal store.  
  
~~~~~ Bridal Shop ~~~~~  
  
When they walked into the store they were in awe of some of the beautiful dresses. Rory's grandmother walked up to the group and said, "Hello girls. Rory I had the lady put some dresses in your size on that rack over there."  
  
"Ok, thank you Grandma. But I would like to see the bridesmaids dresses to see what kind I would like."  
  
"That's fine Rory. We have an appointment for 2 and ½ hours, take your time." Emily said.  
  
"That's plenty of time." Lorelai said.  
  
Rory looked around the room. She saw some pink dresses. She saw some purple dresses and some yellows. Nothing was really calling to her until she saw the rack with pale blues, and rich royal blues. She saw 2 dresses that looked the same but were in different colors and one had small straps. One was a plain straight a-line dress in a deep-sea blue color with a silvery tint. The other was an a-line dress that changed colors gradually. At the top was a pale blue and turned into a royal blue color at the bottom. In the royal blue at the bottom were little beaded flowers.  
  
"I think I found something." Rory said to all of the women.  
  
"They're very pretty." Emily said.  
  
"They really are Rory." Cat said to her.  
  
"I was thinking all same blue dress for the bridesmaid. And the shades of blue for Lane." Rory said to her grandmother and mother.  
  
"I really like that one." Lane said.  
  
"Go try it on." Lorelai said to her while taking the dress out of Rory's hand and gave it to Lane.  
  
"Cat try on this one." Rory said as she was holding out the other dress for her to try on.  
  
"Ok, we'll go try them on. Now, Rory you go find your dress." Lane said.  
  
"Ok, Lane." Rory said while looking for the rack that her grandmother had for her. She looked at the rack. She saw a low-neck dress that looked simple. She liked it so she went to try it on. She went into the dressing room and put it on. She came back out to show the others.  
  
"Well? How does it look?" Rory asked them wanting the entire truth.  
  
"Oh, Rory it's lovely." Emily told her.  
  
"It's very pretty." Lorelai told her. "But do you like it?"  
  
"It wouldn't be a horrible dress. But I can't choose now." Rory said while looking into the mirror.  
  
"That's true." Annie said listening to the conversation.  
  
While picking it up off the rack Katerina said, "Rory, this one is to die for." While handing it to Rory she said, "Go try it on."  
  
"Oh, it is beautiful." Rory said while taking it back to the dressing room with her.  
  
Katerina had good taste; Rory really liked what she picked up. It was a nice soft strapless dress made of satin with clear and silver diamonds mixed at the top in the shapes of flowers all the way down the dress to the train. She put it on after admiring it. She couldn't believe how gorgeous it looked on her. She walked out of the dressing room waiting for an opinion. But she didn't get one when she walked in. "Well?" She said.  
  
"Rory? I think we found it." Annie said when she saw it.  
  
"Definitely" Cat said with her hands on her hips in the dress Rory picked out.  
  
"Cat, that looks really pretty." Rory said to her.  
  
"Thanks, but I don't think I can top yours." Cat said. "What about you lane?" Cat asked her from outside the dressing room.  
  
"Well?" Lane said.  
  
"Lane get out here." Katie said.  
  
Lane opened the curtain and showed them. "What do you think?"  
  
"It's beautiful on you." Gretchen said.  
  
"Thanks, but I definitely think that Rory won best dress contest. You are gorgeous." Lane said.  
  
"Do you want to get that one?" Emily asked her.  
  
"I think so. I really like it." Rory said taking a look at herself in the mirror.  
  
"Good." Lorelai said. "Now do you want to go with these bridesmaids dresses?" Lorelai asked Rory.  
  
Rory took a last look at each of the dresses while Cat and Lane modeled them. "Yeah, I will." Rory said while shaking her head yes. "Annie, Katie, Katerina and Gretchen go and find your size."  
  
"Ok, but is this it for the bridesmaids that you're going to have?" Annie said.  
  
"I think so, why?" Rory said.  
  
"Aren't you forgetting some people?" Katie said.  
  
"I don't think so." Rory told her.  
  
"That's nice, just forget about Johnny." Katerina said.  
  
"Oh my god." Rory couldn't believe that she forgot about her.  
  
"What about him?" Cat said.  
  
"Stop joking Cat. Haha funny. I can't believe it I forgot Johnny." Annie said.  
  
"Cat be nice. You and Johnny are like twins." Lane said about the bond that they have.  
  
"I know. I was just kidding." Cat said to the group.  
  
"It's ok Cat. Katie and I forget about her all the time." Gretchen told her.  
  
"Plus Rory did you talk to Tristan about his family. What about his sister?" Annie said. "Did you even ask his sister, Robin if she would like to be one of your bridesmaids?"  
  
"I haven't asked him about what he wanted to do with his sister. I'll have to call him, later." Rory said debating the fact about Tristan's sister, Robin in the wedding.  
  
"Don't wait till later, call him now." Emily said while pulling out her cell phone.  
  
"Thanks." She said to Emily as she took the cell phone out of her hands. She dialed Tristan at work. She let it ring and ring. Then finally on the third ring Tristan picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" He said.  
  
"Hi, Tristan. I was wondering, what would you think if your sister was in the wedding as well." Rory spit out into the phone so that she didn't spend a lot of time holding him up from his work.  
  
"Robin? I don't know, Rory." Tristan said.  
  
"What's wrong with it? I would love it if she can be in the wedding." Rory said to him about the idea.  
  
When Rory finished that last thought someone screamed from Tristan's office into the phone, "I'd love to be in the wedding."  
  
"Will you be quiet!" He screamed at the person.  
  
"Tristan is that your sister? Is she there with you? Tell her to meet us at Josephine's Bridal on Martinez Ave." Rory said to him.  
  
"I'll be there." Robin screamed back into the phone after hearing Rory.  
  
"I love you, Rory. I'll see you later tonight." Tristan said to her.  
  
"I love you too, Tristan. Ok, bye." Rory said before she hung up the phone.  
  
"Well? What's going on?" Cat said to her.  
  
"Robin is coming over to the shop." Rory said as she gave Emily back her cell phone.  
  
"Oh that's wonderful." Emily said to her.  
  
"Did you want her to get the same kind of dress as the others? Or a different dress the same color but with a different look." Lorelai asked her.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe she can choose for herself?" Rory said.  
  
"That's a good idea." Katerina said to Rory.  
  
"Ok, well while we are waiting find your dress size and try it on." Rory told the others.  
  
Twenty minutes had past before Robin actually had gotten to the bridal shop. She looked right through the window to see if they were still there. She looked very cute when she walked in. She was a girl about the age of twenty-four who had long blonde hair and a slight tan from the sun. She was wearing a pair of bleached jeans and a black Backstreet Boy t-shirt.  
  
"Hi Rory." Robin said to her when she saw her.  
  
"Hi Robin. How are you?" She asked.  
  
"I'm good. I can't believe you invited me to be in the wedding." Robin said to her with her eyes grazing the dresses in there.  
  
"Don't mention it. It was my idea Robin." Annie said to her. She remembered her from years back.  
  
"Robin, this is my mother, Lorelai, my grandmother, Emily, my friends, Lane, Cat, Katie, Katerina, Gretchen, and of course you know Annie." Rory said introducing the whole group.  
  
"How could I forget? How are you?" Robin said to Annie, as she gave her a hug.  
  
"Fine, I'm great." Annie said.  
  
"Well, Robin what kind of dress would you like to where?" Emily asked her.  
  
"I look really good in blues and pinks. But it doesn't matter, what are the others wearing?" Robin asked.  
  
"Well, I am wearing this mixed blue dress with flowers." Lane said while picking up her dress off the rack. "And the others are wearing this rich royal blue dress." She said as she pointed to the other six dresses.  
  
"They look lovely." Robin said debating. "Well, I like the royal blue one, but do you think if I could find one in the same color but in a different style, I could wear that one."  
  
"Yeah, it wouldn't be a problem with all the luck we've had." Lorelai said. "Here take this dress with you and try to find the same color on that rack over there." Lorelai picked up the dress and took let her check the colors.  
  
Robin started over to the rack of blue dresses. She put the dress up so that she could see the difference. She looked at several dresses and was about to give up when she couldn't find a matching color. Towards the end of the rack she came across this one dress. It looked like something in a movie. It had straps about a quarter of an inch wide. The dress had a high neckline and had an A-line going all the way to the ground. But what she liked about it so much was that it had a blue lace sheer on top of the dress and underneath was a silver blue color that made it look so elegant. Robin couldn't help but stare at it.  
  
"Well? Have you made a decision?" Emily asked her.  
  
"Yes, I would like to try this one." She took it off the rack and showed them.  
  
"It's pretty." Cat said. " I like the style."  
  
"Yeah that's what I liked about it too." Robin said. "I'm going to try it on."  
  
"Ok. The rooms are right over there." Emily said to her.  
  
"Thank you." Robin said before heading towards the dressing rooms.  
  
"I liked that dress." Katie said.  
  
"Yeah it was pretty. Hey you know who would look great in that dress?" Cat said.  
  
"Who?" Lorelai said to her.  
  
"Johnny." Cat said to them.  
  
"Oh you're right. I think it would look lovely on her." Annie said.  
  
Robin was ready to show them the dress, so she walked out into the room and said, "How does it look?"  
  
"Oh, it looks great on you." Lane said.  
  
"Thanks." Robin said with a worried look.  
  
"What's wrong?" Rory asked.  
  
"Nothing I was just wondering if it was a little to much for your wedding." Robin told her. "Maybe I can choose another style."  
  
"Nonsense." Emily said. "It looks wonderful on you. I don't think it would be a problem." She said to Robin just before she went to talk to the sales lady.  
  
"Ok. Well then I guess I will go with this dress." Robin said while turning around to take the dress off.  
  
"Great. I guess that means that we are done trying to find the dress." Lorelai said to Rory. "Now are you sure that you want to go with the second dress that you tried on?"  
  
"Yes, well, if you don't want me to take it." Rory said taking a double take on the dress.  
  
"No, it's not that. I don't want to rush you into this decision. You looked fantastic in it. I loved it on you. I want to make sure that you still want it." Lorelai said to her.  
  
"I'm sure." Rory said to her mother with a smile full of joy.  
  
"Well, how about we go out for a late lunch, early dinner?" Emily said to the girls.  
  
"Thank you for the offer Mrs. Gilmore but we already have made plans." Lane said to Emily.  
  
"I see, you girls have a lot of catching up to do. Some other time then?" Emily said to them.  
  
"Absolutely." Annie said right back to her.  
  
"Ok, well. I have taken care of the bill, Lorelai. I will talk to you about some other things that we have to take care of and I hope to hear from you soon, Rory." Emily said before she kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"Bye, Grandma." Rory said.  
  
"Bye, Mom." Lorelai said as she pushed her out of the shop.  
  
"Well, Rory I have to go take care of Luke. I love you; I'll call you about the church and the reception hall later on. Bye girls." Lorelai said as she collected her things and gave Rory a hug and went on her way.  
  
"Bye" All the girls said, even Robin from the dressing room.  
  
Robin walked out of the dressing room and asked, "What do you have planned for tonight?"  
  
"Well, Rory and Tristan are going to get together. So we are going to hang out in her apartment." Lane said to Robin.  
  
"Hey, do you want to come?" Annie asked her; she didn't want Robin to feel left out.  
  
"I'd love to." Robin said filled with joy.  
  
"Good. Then we can really get to know you." Cat said with a smirk on her face that reminded Robin of Tristan.  
  
"Let's head home then, Rory would you mind dropping us off before you 'drive' to Tristan?" Gretchen said to Rory.  
  
"Yeah I guess if it's not out of the way." Rory said.  
  
"I'll meet you there, where do you live Rory?" Robin asked because she hadn't gotten that information from Tristan.  
  
"She lives in the apartment building right next to your brother's. But the thing is we came with her mother, do you think you can drive Gretchen, Lane and I over there?" Katie said to her.  
  
"Oh, well I guess that won't be to hard to find. " Robin said while the girls were walking to the door. "Yeah I have enough room."  
  
"Terrific, let's go." Rory said as they started to walk to the cars. 


	24. The Talks

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part24)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 24: The Talks  
  
Rory drove to Tristan's apartment with Robin following along behind her. But Robin knew where she was going. It's not like her brother had no contact when he went to college.  
  
Rory parked the car in between the two buildings and said; "I'll see you guys later."  
  
"Have fun." Cat said as she saw Rory run to Tristan's apartment.  
  
"Why is she going over so early? It's only three. He doesn't get off till five." Gretchen said about Rory leaving so early.  
  
"Well he told me that he was getting off of work early." Robin said as she was following the others up the front steps of the building.  
  
"Oh, how sweet." Annie said.  
  
"So, let's go inside." Lane said bringing the girls into the apartment building with Rory's keys.  
  
When they finally got into the apartment they started to ask Robin questions. They walked into the apartment, took off there coats and headed for the living room. Lane and the rest of the girls, expect for Cat didn't know what to say, or what ask. Since Cat knew what she was going to ask she decided to start, "So, Robin where did are you going to College?"  
  
Robin didn't want to tell them that she was going to a second rate law school in Jersey but she wanted to be honest. "I go to school in South Orange, New Jersey. I am attending my last year of Seton Hall University's Law school with a basketball scholarship."  
  
"Really?" Annie said. "My cousin went there for college, but not to be a lawyer."  
  
"Really, what's her name? The school is large but I met a lot of people. Hey, you never know right?" Robin mentioned.  
  
"Johnny?" Katie said with a look both towards Robin and Annie.  
  
"I don't remember a Johnny." Robin said with disappointment.  
  
"That's ok." Cat said to her. "So, what yeah are you in now?"  
  
"I am in my last year. I come down to Connecticut every other weekend. I know what you're thinking, 'Why am I here if it's a Monday.' I'll answer it for you, I don't start during the week until Tuesday morning." Robin tried to explain everything about school.  
  
"That's pretty cool, so you go down around Monday night's?" Lane asked.  
  
"Yeah, I go about 9-ish. It a four-hour drive but it doesn't bother me. I try to make the best of it. My boyfriend usually makes a tape of him talking so I listen to it on the way." Robin said with a smile at the mentioning of her boyfriend.  
  
"Oh really, that's so cute. What's his name? How did you meet him?" Annie asked her.  
  
"Well, I have known him for a long time. He is Tristan's friend from college, Sean Scott Williams. So, anyway I had this crush on him for like two years, then last new years we just clicked." Robin said making googoly eyes at the thought.  
  
"Really? Sean Scott Williams, I think we all met him at a party we had with a few of Tristan's friends last week." Gretchen said.  
  
"I think he mentioned something about a party." Robin pointed out.  
  
"That's funny when I talked to him he never said nothing about a girlfriend." Annie said. "I guess it must have slipped his mind."  
  
"I guess so." Robin said. " I doesn't bother me about him at party's though."  
  
"Well, it sounds like you trust your boyfriend." Katerina said. She tried to change the subject so that a fight didn't break out. "So, Annie where is your cousin now?"  
  
"She went to live in New York, to see if she can get a record deal for a few years." Annie said, "But now she is at home from her first European tour."  
  
"Really, she did it." Cat said.  
  
"She did what?" Gretchen asked her.  
  
"She did it. She did what she said she would, in high school she promised me that she would get a record deal, or become a big star." Cat said. " Me, I am. I was with my crush, which I had when I was 16 while still going out with my first boyfriend. I went to college, got my degree, now I have nowhere to go. Who in their right mind would want me to work for them in a police department? I have done nothing with my life."  
  
"Cat that not true? I mean you have had offers but you want something close that's all." Lane said.  
  
"True, true." Cat said while leaning her head against her hand.  
  
"Cat, you're pulling a Johnny." Katerina said. At that all the girls started to laugh.  
  
"Stop making fun." Cat screamed that them.  
  
"So, what do you think of my brother and Rory?" Robin asked them.  
  
" I think it is so cute." Katie said about the thought.  
  
"They are so sweet with one another. I wish I can find a guy a sweet as Tristan." Gretchen said.  
  
"I think you have." Cat said while picking her head up off her hand. "Jack is a really nice guy."  
  
"You met Jack?" Robin said direction the question to Gretchen.  
  
"Yeah, I really like him. But I don't know. I think he is too great." Gretchen said doubting Jack and his ways.  
  
"Don't say that." Katerina said. "You always do that. You push them away before they can get to close."  
  
"I don't always do it." Gretchen said. "How about we talk about something else?"  
  
"Ok, how about we talk about how Gretchen pushes guys away all those 'guy friends.'" Cat said with a smile.  
  
"How about we don't?" Gretchen didn't have enough time to defend herself on the topic. Once she finished that small sentence there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it. I can't stay in here any longer. You guys are to weird for me." She stood up and started to walk out of the room.  
  
"Awe, don't say something like that Gretchen, you know that it would hurt our feelings." Katerina said.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Gretchen screamed from the door, as she was opening it.  
  
"I'm sorry." Jack said as he heard her.  
  
"Hi, Jack!" She screamed so that they would stop talking about him. But it didn't make them stop talking about him; they started to laugh at them.  
  
"Hi Gretchen." Jack said with a puzzling look towards his companion. "Sorry that Sean and I stopped by so unexpectedly, we wanted to see if you and Annie wanted to hang out."  
  
"Well that is very sweet of you. But we have a guest, so could we call you later?" Gretchen asked him while pushing them out of the room.  
  
"Nonsense Gretchen invite them in I'm sure our guest wouldn't mind the company." Annie said while popping her head into the hallway.  
  
"Thanks Annie." Jack said while stepping back into the apartment with Sean following him.  
  
"Hi Annie!" Sean said from the entrance. Gretchen had Jack and Sean follow her into the living room.  
  
"Hi sweetheart." Robin said as she saw Sean walking in the room.  
  
He was looking at his feet while he was walking. But he picked up his head when he heard Robin's voice. "Robin what are you doing here?"  
  
"You know I was going to ask you the same thing." Robin said as she stood up and put her hands on her hips. She was just kidding with him but she liked it when he squirmed.  
  
"Hey, Robin. It's not what you think. You see, I wanted to hang out with Sean and I also wanted to get to know Gretchen." Jack said blushing. "I didn't want him to feel like a third wheel so that's why we asked if Annie could come too."  
  
"Oh is that all? Sean, you're just trying to help out a friend?" Robin said walked over to give him a hug.  
  
"Absolutely! I love you." He said as he kissed her on the lips for half a second.  
  
This was something that made Annie so sick to her stomach, she couldn't watch. Annie decided to go for a walk. Cat tried to follow her but at the speed that Annie was walking Cat couldn't catch up. So she let Annie go alone.  
  
While Annie walked around the block a few times she saw a guy about 6foot 2inches, who had brown hair but that was all she could see. It was about seven thirty and the sun was setting.  
  
"Can I help you?" She asked him. She knew she couldn't, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.  
  
"I don't think you can. Unless you know if Rory Gilmore is in her apartment." He said to her.  
  
"Actually Rory isn't home. She is at her fiancée house." She told him.  
  
"Fiancée!" When he heard that, it was like a kick in the balls. His eyes closed for a second, because they were watering. * I knew it wouldn't have been me. *  
  
Annie saw his face. He looked like he was going to throw up. "Are you ok? How do you know Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I am fine. I am Rory's old-old boyfriend, Dean." He said with his voice cracking from being all choked up.  
  
"You're Dean? Wow, it's nice to meet you. I'm Rory's friend, Annie." She said holding her hand out.  
  
"Nice to meet you too." He said while shaking her hand. But didn't let go of it. He held on to it giving it a little squeeze. "Who is she marrying?" He asked her while still holding onto her hand.  
  
"Tristan DuGrey." She said while wincing her face from what he would do.  
  
"Really, how long have they been together?" Dean said removing his grip.  
  
"I don't remember." Annie said to him.  
  
"That's ok." He said as he was putting his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Hey if you ever need someone to hang out with here's my number." She put her hand into her pocket and pulled out one of her cards that have her number on it, which she uses for celebrities. She gave it to him and said, "Well I have to go back inside."  
  
"It was nice meeting you, Annie." He said as she was turning around to leave. But she didn't bother to say anything. She just thought that her name that came out of his lips sounds like music. It took her a few minutes to leave him out there. * I hope she doesn't have a boyfriend. *  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
Rory and Tristan had just finished dinner and were cleaning the dishes. Once they had finished the dishes they went into the living room to discuss the wedding.  
  
"I got my dress today, I just have to get it tailored a little bit. Also I got all of the bridesmaids' dresses. All 8 dresses need to be tailored as well."  
  
"Eight bridesmaids? I don't think I have that many friends. Well, who are you having in the bridal party?"  
  
"Well there is your sister, Robin, Lane, and my college friends, Annie, Cat, Katie, Katerina, Gretchen and Johnny."  
  
" At least I know a good amount of them already." Tristan said.  
  
"Yeah that's true. I was thinking that we ask the guys at my friends have already met to be there escorts."  
  
"That's fine. Cat can go with Bruce and Lane can be with Henry of course. Katie would be with Brendan, and Katerina would be with Jason. Jack and Gretchen would be together. Robin would have her boyfriend, who is my best friend, Sean."  
  
"Ok, but who do you know that Annie could go with?"  
  
" I don't know I have a few cousins I could ask." Tristan said as he stood up from the couch to look out the window. When he looked out, he saw Annie and someone talking in the lamplight. "How about the guy she is talking with now."  
  
"What guy?" Rory said as she was walking over to the window.  
  
"That one, standing with her outside." Tristan said.  
  
"Tristan, I don't think you want him to come to the wedding." Rory said as she noticed the guy with Annie.  
  
"What? Why? Is it your old boyfriend?" Tristan said with a laugh.  
  
"Actually it is." Rory said as she walked back over to his coffee table in the living room.  
  
"Really?" Tristan said, " It wouldn't bother me one bit Rory. Unless he tries to steal the bride from me." He decided to walk away from the window. He sat on the couch and decided to talk to Rory about the guest list.  
  
"Well, if it doesn't bother you then Annie and Dean will go together. Now I just need to find someone for Johnny."  
  
"Ok, I will think of a cousin that I really like." Tristan said with a smile, "Hey would it be funny, if I asked my cousin Joey. Johnny and Joey, ha that's funny."  
  
"That is. Ok, well now that we got the list of people in the bridal party, lets talk about guests."  
  
"Well, your grandparents, Lorelai and Luke, my parents, your friends from town who are they again?"  
  
" Well the only close friends that I would invite are Miss patty, Babette and Morey, Sookie, Jackson and Michele. I think that's it. What about your family? Your mother is one of ten brothers and sisters."  
  
" Right and their spouses, that would be 18 aunts and uncles, their children, so that 17 cousins. What is the total?"  
  
"With everyone even the bridesmaids and escorts that's about 65 - 70 people."  
  
"Wow that not to bad for the wedding."  
  
"Yeah not bad at all. Tristan, can I ask you something? But it has nothing to do with the wedding."  
  
"Sure, I guess."  
  
"Well, why didn't you tell me that you went out with Annie? I know that it was years ago, but I can't stop thinking about why you went out with her for one summer." Rory said.  
  
" I know I should have told you, I guess Annie told you first." Tristan said, "I know I should have told. But I didn't know how to bring up a topic like that. ' Oh, yeah, just so you know I went out with a friend of yours, but that was before we went out,' sounds sort of a weird conversation starter. I went out with Annie because she reminded me of you, same brown hair and grade point average. I thought that if I got close enough to her it was like I was with you. When I kissed her I wanted to really be kissing you." * I am glad I told her. * "Are you ok Rory? You look strange."  
  
Rory did look strange; she had this look on her face that he just couldn't make out. It looked like she was excited from what he just said. "I love you." Was all she could say as she moistened her lips and crawled onto the couch where Tristan was sitting.  
  
"I love you, too." Was all he could say, as she crawled into him a started to kiss him.  
  
Rory was surprised at what he would do just to get close to her even thought it was kind of stocker-ish of him. She just kissed him, and kissed him on his lips. She than gradually worked her way down to his neck once she got to the top of his shirt she stopped kissing his neck and sat up. After that she took her hands that were sitting at top of his pants and started to unbutton his shirt. When she did and saw his bare chest she did whatever came to mind. She started to kiss his bare chest with her lips very softly that it made him moan. She decided not to stop, she went on she kissed all around his chest and she licked his nipples and went even further down his stomach to his pelvis then stopped. She decided to sit back up and decided to let him beg. But he didn't he just stayed there on the couch just watching her. 


	25. The Scare

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part25)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 25: The Scare  
  
It's hard to believe that the wedding was in three months. Because about three months after Rory and her bridesmaids had gotten their dresses, the tailor was done with all of them. The invitations were all mailed to every guest. They were so beautiful, it read:  
  
Mr. And Mrs. Richard Edward Gilmore  
  
Request the honor of your presents  
  
At the marriage of their granddaughter  
  
Lorelai Leigh  
  
to  
  
Mr. Tristan A. DuGrey  
  
On Saturday, the fifteenth of July  
  
two thousand and twelve  
  
at half after four o'clock  
  
Independence Inn  
  
8 Kean way  
  
Stars Hollow, Connecticut  
  
Rory's mother and grandmother had the ceremony all ready. They decided to go small but beautiful so they choose to have it in the garden of Independence Inn bed and breakfast. Then the reception wasn't going to be a problem. Sookie was working on the food for the reception. But Emily wanted to help with the cake so Lorelai and Rory had to go cake shopping with her in Hartford.  
  
"Mom, Sookie would have been fine with doing the food and the cake as well. You really didn't have to go somewhere else." Lorelai said while driving the car to the bakery.  
  
"I know but this is the only wedding I would have the pleasure of helping choose so let this be my treat." Emily said pleading with Lorelai from the passenger seat.  
  
"Thanks so much for doing this Grandma." Rory said to her peering over her shoulder.  
  
"Oh your welcome." Emily said to her. "It's coming up on the left, Lorelai."  
  
"I know mom, I see the sign." Lorelai said as she took a spot in the parking lot.  
  
" So what are we looking for in the cake?" Emily said to Rory as they were getting out of the car. "Traditional? Simple?"  
  
"Well I was thinking 5 tier white frosting with blue flowers." Rory said to her grandmother.  
  
"I think that is just perfect. Very simple. What kind of top? Wedding Bells? A bride and a groom?" Emily said as she opened the door of the store.  
  
"I hadn't really thought about it." Rory said  
  
"Ok well, we'll have to look around first." Emily started to the counter and rang the bell.  
  
"I'm sorry that Sookie couldn't just do it. You wouldn't have to choose." Lorelai said to Rory in her ear.  
  
"It's ok mom. It doesn't really bother me. I like the way grandma wants to help." Rory said while looking at her grandmother talk to the person behind the counter. She saw her turn around and waved them over. She went voluntarily but she could hear her mother making grunting noises.  
  
"Well, I talked to the owner and she said that we could look in a few books to see what we want." Emily said to them. "I have her a book on the layer cakes. We'll take a look at what the have and then choose."  
  
"Ok, so five tier? Wow that's high. Are you sure you don't want to go leaning tower here?" Lorelai said while opening up the book.  
  
"Now Lorelai don't make fun. Let's look first." Emily said.  
  
Rory took the book and started to flip the pages. She got to the middle of the book when she saw it. It was so beautiful. It was exactly what Rory was talking about. She wanted it. She stopped on that page. * What was the point of looking for a different one if they have the one that we want? * She thought.  
  
Emily noticed Rory stop and stare. She looked over her shoulder and couldn't believe it. It's not very often when some finds that exact same cake that she was looking for in a book.  
  
"I found it." Rory said.  
  
"Really Rory?" Lorelai said when jumping up from the quiet room.  
  
"Yeah, I would like this one Grandma."  
  
"I like it." Emily said to her. She picked up her purse and stood up from her chair. " I will be back."  
  
"Ok, we'll be here." Lorelai said to her as she was walking to the counter to talk to the lady about that cake. "Well that's done with. And I just saved a few hundred dollars." Lorelai said.  
  
"Well I am glad you are having fun with everything." Rory said looking at the engagement ring.  
  
"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked her.  
  
"Nothing, I am really happy, but I haven't been feeling that good in the morning. My stomach has been bothering me."  
  
"Really? Well maybe its nerves." She said to her. "You don't have to be. I am here, Tristan is here."  
  
"I know and I thank you for that. But I don't think its nerves." Rory told her.  
  
"What's up?" Lorelai asked her.  
  
"I don't know." Rory said. * I will know in a few days. * She thought. She noticed in her planner a few days ago that Penelope hasn't come yet. * She should be here * she thought. That is why she was sick and worried.  
  
"Ok." Lorelai said to her. "But just to make sure go to the doctor soon."  
  
"I will." Was all she said. She didn't want her mother to worry about her already being there. Emily was coming back to the table so they ended that conversation fast.  
  
"Well everything is taken care of. Are you ready to go?" Emily asked.  
  
"Yeah we are." Rory said.  
  
The ride back to Rory's apartment was quiet. Rory didn't want to talk. Lorelai was a little worried so they didn't really say much. Emily didn't know what was going on but she took it by the way the girl were acting that something was wrong, but didn't know what. Lorelai made it back safely to the apartment and Rory was the first to get out because they picked her up and they had other stuff to take of.  
  
"Well I'll see you Rory." Was all Lorelai could say to her.  
  
"Bye Mom, bye grandma. I love you."  
  
"Bye Rory."  
  
Rory turned around to face the building and heard the sound of screeching tires. She winced at the sound and walked up to her apartment. It was about seven o'clock and Rory was very tired. She opened her door and walked in, shutting and locking the door after her. She walked into her bedroom to get ready to go to sleep. Even when she was getting ready her eyes were like lead. They were closing before she even wanted them to. She was standing by her bed and nightstand that had her other message machine; she noticed that the light was flashing. She sat in the bed and pressed the play button, when she did she laid down in the bed. The machine beeped three times and then played the messages:  
  
'Hi Rory, this is Johnny. I was wondering if you and Tristan had someone for the wedding, entertainment wise. I thought that it would be nice if I could do something nice for my friend and her husband. I love you guys. I hope you consider it. I'll call you again, soon.'  
  
'Hi Rory it's Tristan it about 5:45. I wanted to see how the cake shopping when. Umm call me if you get this. I love you.'  
  
Rory had fallen asleep listening to the middle of the second message that by the time the third message played she was fast asleep.  
  
'Hi Rory, It Doctor Brooks. I wanted to talk to you about your scare you're not. You are fine. I will call you again. Talk to you soon.' 


	26. The Wedding

TITLE - Could This Be Love (part26)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the really writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 26: The Wedding  
  
Lorelai was getting a little nervous when it was almost time. She was running around like a chicken with its head off at the Inn.  
  
"Michele, where are the phone numbers for the limo services?" She asked him while looking through the papers on the front desk.  
  
"I remember putting them in your shirt pocket when you were talking on the phone with the florist. Oh, no wait that was my pocket that I put them in." Michele said while getting the paper out. "Will you wait for half a second please? I need to speak to you about me not coming to the wedding." He said as he walked around the front desk of the Inn and gave the paper to Lorelai.  
  
"What? Michele, I gave the invitation to you weeks in advance so that your clown act would be off on hiatus in your schedule. There are no excuses. When I tell you that I will see you there, you are going to be there. If it is a good reason that you can't make it then you will have to get Rory and Tristan a really big present."  
  
Michele didn't say anything for a few minutes. She looked at him, to read his thoughts but it was difficult. Michele still said anything. He was getting his thoughts together so he took a deep breath and spoke, " Lorelai, I will be there. The reason is my date will not be coming. Also I have no idea what to get for them, at all."  
  
"I am glad you came to me with your problem. I want to help you. I got a few presents for Rory and Tristan for just this reason. I will just you to help with something." Lorelai said to him while waving the paper with the limo numbers on it.  
  
"I would love to but- 'Ring' - oh is that the phone. I better get that. Hello?"  
  
"Fine Michele, talk to your imaginary friends. Tell me when you get back to reality." Lorelai said as she walked into the kitchen to talk to Sookie.  
  
"Hi Lorelai." Sookie said with a smile.  
  
"What's wrong? What did you do wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. Coffee?"  
  
"Yes please."  
  
"So how are things going with the wedding?"  
  
"Oh not bad since we have only about three weeks from tomorrow." Lorelai said taking a sip of her coffee. "But besides that I am going nuts."  
  
"Don't worry. You are doing a great job. Rory will be perfect in her dress. Tristan and the groom's men are ready with the tuxedos. The flowers and the ceremony are done. You have nothing to worry about." Sookie said while putting the finishing touches on a plate of roasted chicken.  
  
"That's the problem I do. I still have to call the limo service." Lorelai said, looking like she was about to cry. " I have to find my dress. I haven't even bothered to do that. I mean three weeks can be here like that." Lorelai said while snapping her finger.  
  
"Calm. Down. Breathe in- and out." Sookie said while trying to get Lorelai to chill out.  
  
After Lorelai tried to do what Sookie told her. She said, " Thanks Sookie. I am going really crazy now days. Last time Luke and I have had sex was about week ago. Luke and I haven't had sex for about a week because I was up to late helping out with the wedding. Rory and Tristan are working around the clock for their things. I am trying to balance things for them so that everything is perfect. I really want everything to be perfect." She then took another breath. "So now I haven't slept a whole 8 hours in about 4days. Every morning around seven, I would need to throw up. I am not feeling well whenever I eat anything. I don't know what's wrong with me. "  
  
"Lorelai do you need me to do anything for you?"  
  
"Do you mind calling a limo company for me?" Lorelai said while giving her the paper.  
  
"It would be my pleasure." Sookie said as she took the paper out of Lorelai's hand and read it. " But promise me you will go home and take a nap."  
  
"Thanks a lot Sookie, I will." Lorelai stood up from being hunched over on the counter and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
"Lorelai, you don't look so well." Michele said to Lorelai as she walked though the lobby of the Inn.  
  
"Michele, I don't want to hear it. I will be back later." Lorelai said without stopping to acknowledge his presents in the room.  
  
"Fine, I will not tell you your husband is here to see you." Michele said while looking at some papers.  
  
"Luke's here?" Lorelai said turning her head to look at Michele.  
  
"Hey Lorelai." Luke said to her.  
  
"Luke." Was all she said as she ran up to him and gave him a hug.  
  
" How are you?" Luke said while he loosened his grip. "You don't look so good. Are you feeling ok?"  
  
"I don't feel so good. My stomach and I need sleep." Lorelai said in a baby voice.  
  
"Oh poor baby. Do you want to go home?" Luke asked her.  
  
"Yeah, that's a good idea."  
  
"Do you want to get checked out by a doctor?"  
  
"I'm not that sick." Lorelai told him.  
  
"Well let's go just to be sure." Luke said to her.  
  
Luke just couldn't take no for an answer. So, within seconds Lorelai and Luke were in his car driving Lorelai to the doctor's office.  
  
~~~~~ Doctor's Office ~~~~~  
  
Luke and Lorelai were waiting in the waiting room for about 5 minutes. Lorelai was getting restless. She never liked doctors.  
  
"Lorelai Danes?" The nurse said from the doorway.  
  
Once she heard her name she stood up and followed the nurse. She went by herself because it wasn't a big deal. Luke had just made it out to be.  
  
She walked into the room and talked to the nurse. The nurse asked a few question; why she was here? What's wrong? She answered them and then the nurse left and came back.  
  
The nurse brought some equipment with her. She had checked Lorelai's blood pressure. Everything seemed fine. The nurse then left to get the doctor. When the doctor came, she checked out Lorelai as well. Then said, "Let's take a blood test. Also Lorelai, it's been a while, but we need you to pee in a cup."  
  
"I know the drill." Was all she said. So once the doctor took the blood sample, Lorelai went to the bathroom. She had returned to the room with the cup in her hand. She had given it to the nurse and walked out to the waiting room. "Let's go." She said to Luke.  
  
"Ok." Luke said to her.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
About a five days before the wedding Rory's friends had a bachelorette party for her. The girls took a vote to see who should take Rory out so they could get ready. But voting didn't work. So they decided to pull names out of a hat. When Robin and Johnny heard that they were to take out Rory, they where disappointed. They wanted to help out with the decorating. But Robin thought it was a good idea, she could get to know her sister in law.  
  
So Robin had told Rory that they would come to pick her up from work. By the time 5 o'clock rolled around Robin and Johnny were sitting in front of the building. They weren't there long, but it did take Rory a long time to come outside.  
  
"Hi, sorry I'm late. I was with your brother. He said hi." Rory said to her from the other side of the car.  
  
"Hey, it's ok." Robin said.  
  
"Really, I enjoyed watching the revolving door." Johnny said from the back seat. " I moved to the back just so you would be comfortable. Plus I have gotten used to the back seat."  
  
"Oh, you didn't have to." Rory said as she got into the car. " So, what are we doing?"  
  
"Well, I wanted to take you two out to dinner." Robin said as she started the car.  
  
"Oh, so where were are we going?" Rory said excitedly.  
  
"Well, I thought we would go to this new place in town that Tristan told me about." Robin said back as she drove the car into the street.  
  
"Yeah, It's that Italian place right?" Johnny said. "I heard it was supposed to be really good."  
  
After a few minutes of driving Robin said " But before we go to the restaurant I have to pick up my wallet that I left at your apartment this morning."  
  
They finally pulled up to her apartment and Rory insisted she would stay in the car. Robin nervously said, "Um, ok." And ran into the apartment. After a few minutes Robin came out and said, " I can't find my wallet, can you guys come up and help me find it?"  
  
"Sure why the hell not." Rory and Johnny said.  
  
Robin and Johnny lead Rory up to her apartment. They opened the door and were immersed with the huge sound of Surprise.  
  
Rory was shocked and confused of what was going on. She was speechless. She just stood in the doorway with her mouth gaping open.  
  
"Rory? How do you like it?" Lorelai said while taking Rory and walking her to the couch.  
  
"Thank you so much guys! I was totally surprised." Rory said.  
  
"Good. Cause if you weren't then you really did look like you had an accident, if you know what I mean." Cat said to her.  
  
"Haha, very funny. So what did you guys have planned?"  
  
"Well, we have food, ready now. Then after we have a special gift for you." Annie said to her.  
  
"You will never believe it!" Lane said.  
  
"It was all my idea." Katie said with a smile on her face.  
  
"Oh, great where are we going? To the movies?" Rory said to her.  
  
"Oh come on. Think bigger." Katerina said to Rory not trying to give anything away.  
  
"Ok people, that is enough talk about the surprise." Lorelai said to them.  
  
"Yeah, the food is ready. If we don't eat now, we won't get there until late." Gretchen said while pushing then out of one room and into the kitchen.  
  
"What do you have planned?" Rory said.  
  
"Just wait." Robin said.  
  
" Can't I have just one tiny little hint?"  
  
"Nope, it just wouldn't be a surprise." Johnny said while helping herself to dinner.  
  
"Great." Rory said as she was folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"Oh now Rory, don't get in a huff, you will know in due time." Lorelai said.  
  
"Everyone eat or else." Rory screamed to them so the line would move quicker so that she could eat and leave.  
  
~~~~~ Tristan's Apartment ~~~~~  
  
"Are you guy's ready to go?" Tristan said to his 7 friends that were still sitting on the couch.  
  
"What? I thought we weren't going out." Henry said to Tristan who was putting on his jacket.  
  
"But we are. Later, we are going to the bar." Jack said to him.  
  
"Tristan, this is your bachelor party, we planned." Brendan said about the party, which was a complete bomb.  
  
"Yeah, well I don't want to sit home and watch pay-per-view." Tristan said. "Let's go."  
  
"Guys, I think he is serious." Said Sean, who didn't want Tristan to go alone.  
  
"I guess I can go for a beer now." Dean said. Now by that time Dean and Tristan had just pushed all there differences aside and found out that they had a lot in common. They got along seeing as though both of them were happy. Tristan had Rory and Dean had a new job that he loved and Annie. Life was good for the both of them.  
  
"Ok, then let's go. Bruce, Henry, Sean, Jason, Andrew, Brendan, let's move."  
  
"We're coming." They said as they followed him out the door.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's apartment ~~~~~  
  
Back at Rory's apartment.  
  
"Oh, man, I am stuffed." Cat said.  
  
"That's nice. Is everyone done?" Rory said to them.  
  
"I am. Almost." Katie said.  
  
"Come on people, I want to get out of here."  
  
"Chill Rory, Let us rest a bit." Annie said to her.  
  
"Fine, but just a little bit." Rory said right back.  
  
After about 5 minutes of no talking Lorelai said to the group, "Is everyone ready?"  
  
"We better be." Rory said right back.  
  
"Yup, we are Rory." Katerina said to her. " Let's get a move on it. Before Rory has a fit."  
  
"Don't tempt me."  
  
"Lane you and I will drive to the surprise place. I will take Rory and a few others." Lorelai said while taking out a scarf from her pocket.  
  
~~~~~ At the Bar ~~~~~  
  
Rory walked in with the blindfold on and the girls leading her into the room. After a few steps into the room Rory and the girls stopped.  
  
"What's wrong?" Rory said to her friends.  
  
"Nothing, nothing at all." Lane said as she waved to Henry from across the room.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Annie mouthed to Cat.  
  
"Nothing." Was her response. " I have an idea." She started to walk over to the table and whispered something into Tristan's ear, with the girl behind her getting a table.  
  
Annie and the others stared over to the table to see the guys that they meet several months ago. Then they started to talk as they all saw the 8 guys following Cat and sitting by a table near by. Once a song that was up beat started to play, Cat nodded at Tristan.  
  
Tristan started to stand up to the still blindfolded Rory. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and then sat on her lap.  
  
"Guys' what is going on?" Rory said.  
  
"It's a present from me to you." Cat said to her.  
  
"Have fun with it." Lane said to her.  
  
" I don't know. I don't want to do anything I would regret."  
  
"You definitely won't. Trust us." Gretchen said to her.  
  
Tristan who was sitting on her lap took her hand and let it feel his heart and muscles. Then he led her hand to his hips and took both of her hands and placed them there. He then started to move his butt up and down while he was sitting on her lap.  
  
Rory couldn't believe that she was letting this person do this to her. "Stop!" She said to the person. But he didn't listen, then she tried to stand up, she was getting nervous about doing that. Then all of a sudden she felt his hands on her face and knew. * Tristan. * He didn't say anything he just kissed her. She loved it. He loved it. They were lip locked for a full five minutes until Rory took off the blindfold. She knew it. "I love you Tristan."  
  
"I love you Rory."  
  
~~~~~Friday night ~~~~~~  
  
Rory, Tristan and their friends plus their parents and Rory's grandparents were all at the Inn to rehearse. The minister took only twenty minutes to tell them what they would be doing. They would start from the back steps of the Inn and walk to the garden area. She didn't bother to talk to her father about the wedding. He was out of her life since she graduated from College. Rory didn't want to hurt her grandfather's feelings or Luke's. So, she asked the both of them to give her away. Luke was fine with that. Rory's grandfather couldn't have been happier.  
  
"So, let's run though it one more time." The minister said.  
  
Robin was the one to start off the wedding with Sean. Then Johnny followed with Andrew, then Gretchen and Jack. Following them were Katie and Brendan, then Katerina and Jason. After Katerina, was Annie with Dean and Cat with Bruce. Then it came down to Lane with Henry. To end the long procession was Rory with Richard and Luke on each arm. It took them about 25 minutes to do that all to music. They were already there for an hour and none of them wanted to go anywhere. They all wanted to go to sleep. So Rory decided to tell them that they didn't need to go to the dinner, and that they would see them all at three thirty.  
  
"But I had an announcement." Lorelai screamed.  
  
"Lorelai, honey, not know." Luke told her.  
  
"But I would like them to know Luke. You don't understand. I'm telling them." Lorelai said to him.  
  
"Ok." Luke said.  
  
"Thank you." Lorelai said.  
  
"What is it mom?" Rory said.  
  
"Is everything all right?" Emily asked her with a look of concern.  
  
"I wanted to tell everyone that Luke and I, we're, having a baby."  
  
"What?" Emily said to her.  
  
"I'm pregnant." Lorelai said to her.  
  
" Mom, congratulations." Rory said to her.  
  
"How long have you known?" Lane said to her.  
  
"About 3 months."  
  
"What? Three months and you never once told your daughter? I am so happy for you." Rory said.  
  
"What do you think about it mom?" Lorelai asked her mother.  
  
"Well, what do you want me to say?" Emily said getting a little choked up. " I am so happy. My daughter is pregnant and married. I am so happy."  
  
"Thanks mom."  
  
"Come here you two and give me hug." Emily said to Luke and Lorelai who were already hugging each other.  
  
"Well, I think we had a lot of excitement for tonight. I think the bride and groom should go home and get their rest." Lane said to everyone as Lorelai, Luke and Emily were still hugging.  
  
"That's a good idea." Rory said as she herself was hugging Tristan. "I can't wait until tomorrow, when I am Mrs. Rory DuGray."  
  
"I can't wait either." Tristan said right back to her.  
  
~~~~~ Saturday Afternoon ~~~~~  
  
Rory and the girls were at the Inn at three thirty. They couldn't wait at all. Rory on the other hand was a bit nervous. She had butterflies the size of footballs in her stomach. Lorelai was helping Rory with her make-up when she noticed Rory looked a little nervous.  
  
"Honey, you look gorgeous."  
  
"Thanks mom." Rory said trying to look happy.  
  
"Don't be nervous. Everything will go fine. I promise you." Lorelai was trying not to cry.  
  
"Can you believe it? Your daughter is getting married?" Rory asked her.  
  
"I can't, I really can't babe. I remember when you first started walking. You were so cute." Lorelai was now tearing. "But in just an hour you will be walking down that aisle to be with the one you love."  
  
Rory was just listening to her mother and started to calm down. If she didn't do it soon she would have gone crazy. "Thanks for that little pep- talk. I think it really helped."  
  
"I am glad I was here."  
  
"Hey Rory, you have about 10 minutes." Robin said to her who was already in her dress.  
  
"Ok, Robin. Thanks."  
  
"Well. Are you ready?" Lorelai asked her and then noticed that she had gotten into her dress. "Rory, um. is that what you are wearing?"  
  
"Oh My God. Mom can you help?" Rory said while trying to step into her dress.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
Rory was waiting in the Inn with Luke and her Grandfather. The other girls had almost gotten out of there. Lane was up next. Rory took deep breaths then all of a sudden the wedding march started. Luke and Richard opened the double doors that Rory was to walk out of. She then took the step out of the Inn and grabbed a hold of her grandfather's arm and Luke's.  
  
When Tristan saw Rory at the top of the steps, he thought that she was part of a fairy tale. She looked like Cinderella, to be exact, at the top of the steps, on her way down to the ball. She looked so beautiful. She had kept her hair half up and half down, but it had a nice soft curl to it with the veil on top her head.  
  
Rory spotted Tristan right next to the minister. He looked very dignified in his tuxedo.  
  
She tried to rush the walk down the steps with Luke and Richard because she couldn't stand to she Tristan all the way over there, and she was so far.  
  
Once Rory stood next to Tristan, she heard the minister start to say things. She didn't really hear what he had to say until 'I do.'  
  
Rory stood there in her dress waiting, until that part in the ceremony and then finally at 5 o'clock they were husband and wife. 


	27. The Honeymoon

TITLE – Could This Be Love (part27)  
  
NAME - Johanna (Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters. When I say college friends I mean that they were friends when in college, but they might not have gone to the same one.  
  
Chapter 27: The Honeymoon  
  
Rory and Tristan's wedding was so beautiful that Lorelai couldn't stop crying. The lights were shining onto the lake in the garden and the candles on the tables had a sort of glow to them. It was very magical. She was so proud of Rory when it was all over. * She looks so beautiful.* Lorelai thought over the glassy view of Rory.  
  
Rory was standing up making a speech to Tristan. She was trying so hard not to cry. "Tristan I love you so much. More then words could say. Well maybe our song can sum it up. I asked Johnny to sing our song, because you know how bad of a voice I have. So this song is for you."  
  
Johnny was so happy to help, especially with their song. When Rory gave her the ok, Johnny got up onto the stage and made a small speech before she started to sing. "Rory and Tristan, I want you to know that I am singing this song from the bottom of my heart. I hope you two have a wonderful marriage." Johnny said with a smile. "This song is for you guys." Rory and Tristan's song was Krystal's You're the Reason. It described everything about their relationship. Johnny was so excited to sing it that she was really concentrating when she sang the words. The song went:  
  
You're the Reason why I found my way.  
  
You're the reason why I feel this way.  
  
And you're the reason why I have to say,  
  
'I have to let you know you're my everything.'  
  
So many times I've been alone  
  
I didn't know what to do  
  
I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have  
  
Didn't have you  
  
You come for me  
  
And made me believe  
  
You gave me the strength I need  
  
Since you came into my life  
  
It's been so heavenly  
  
You're the Reason why I found my way.  
  
You're the reason why I feel this way.  
  
And you're the reason why I have to say,  
  
'I have to let you know you're my everything.'  
  
So many things I want to say to you  
  
I give my whole life just because  
  
You came around and gave me all your  
  
All your love  
  
I will sacrifice my very life  
  
All you have to do is say the word  
  
'Cause their will never be no other  
  
No other.  
  
You're the Reason why I found my way.  
  
You're the reason why I feel this way.  
  
And you're the reason why I have to say,  
  
'I have to let you know you're my everything.'  
  
Rory and Tristan stood up from their seats and walked over to the dance floor. Tristan took her in his arms and held her close. She looked breath taking in her dress, Tristan couldn't take his eyes off her. During the song Tristan and Rory were talking while other people were getting up to join in.  
  
"So, How does it feel?" Tristan asked her.  
  
"Being in your tight embrace? Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful." Rory said while staring into his eyes.  
  
" No, not this. How does it feel to be marriage to me? Mrs. Dugray?"  
  
"It's a great feeling." Rory said right before they kissed.  
  
Rory and Tristan hadn't noticed that Robin and Sean had danced their way next to the happily married couple.  
  
"Rory? Tristan? Sean and I have news for you."  
  
"What is it? You didn't my sister pregnant?" Tristan said to Sean.  
  
" No Tristan, nothing like that." Robin said to her brother.  
  
"Well, tell us." Rory said.  
  
"We are moving in together." Sean said.  
  
"Are you kidding me? I can't believe this." Tristan was fuming. "Had you going there for a sec didn't I."  
  
"Yeah, hilarious." Robin said to him.  
  
"That's great." Rory said she was thrilled.  
  
"Well, you two have fun." Sean said to them as he and Robin danced away from them.  
  
Rory and Tristan had got caught up in dancing with each other that they didn't notice their song was over. Lorelai was trying to get their attention with the microphone.  
  
But they never noticed. Once Lorelai was fed up she herself started to sing Rory's favorite song as a kid.  
  
"Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens…Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens…Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings…" Lorelai spoke softly into the mic.  
  
Rory placed her head on his shoulder. "Theses are a few of my favorite things." Rory whispered into Tristan's ear. "I love you Tristan."  
  
"I love you too, Rory." Rory then lifted her head from Tristan's shoulder to give him a kiss, but stopped herself when she noticed her mother. She was standing on the stage looking at Rory and Tristan.  
  
"Well now that I have gotten you attention. I wanted to say 'welcome home to reality.'" Rory and Tristan just smiled and decided to walk back to their table. " Rory, a few of your bridesmaids want to say a few words to the both of you."  
  
"Ok, we're all ears." Rory said with a smile on her face.  
  
"Yeah I'm sure, so Lane will you come up?"  
  
Lane smiled at Lorelai, stood up and walked over to the stage and took the mic from her. "Well, you finially did it. I am so proud of you." Lane said as she was about to cry. " So before I start to cry I want to say, I am glad that you and Tristan found out your feelings before I had to tell you about what was staring in your right in the face. I love you guys." Lane was now choked up with from the whole speech. She walked over to Lorelai to give her the microphone.  
  
"Thank you Lane. And now your sister in Law would like to say something. Robin?"  
  
Robin walked up from her seat that was right next to Rory and took the microphone away from Lorelai. " Thank you Lorelai. Tristan I don't think I could have asked for a better brother. Well maybe from when you were seven, you were really annoying. And maybe during the time that you hit puberty, you thought that you were this big hot shot. But anyway, Rory I am so happy that you are my sister-in-law, I couldn't have asked for anyone else." Robin handed the microphone back to Lorelai and went back to her seat.  
  
"Now Cat, will you come up and say something."  
  
Cat jumped at the chance. She ran over to Lorelai and grabbed the mic out of her hands. " I just wanted to say that I think that you, Rory, choose the greatest guy. And Tristan I swear if you hurt her so help me god, You will pay. Oh and also thanks so much for introducing Bruce to me. I love you Bruce." Cat waved to him over at the table and Lorelai took the mic out of her hand and pushed her out of the way.  
  
"Ok, now Annie would like to say something to the happy couple." Lorelai waved her over and smiled. "Annie, come on down."  
  
Annie took the mic and spoke into it. " So, Tristan you are a really great guy I just want to say that Rory is a great girl and I don't think you could have found a better. Congratulations you guys." Annie then sat back down next to Dean and went back to a conversation that they were having.  
  
"Thank you Annie for your kind words. Now, Gretchen, Katerina, or Katie, who would like to speak next?"  
  
Cat turned in there direction to see who was going to speak. Katerina was talking to Jason about something that she couldn't even hear. But Katie and Gretchen were sitting right next to each other. Since Cat was a seat away from them so she tapped their shoulders. They turned in her direction not knowing what was going on. They had this blank look on their faces; they were so out of it. Cat looked onto the table and saw the amount of liquor that was in them, she just shook it off and motioned for them to stand. They were about to walk to the front of the stage.  
  
"Katie and Gretchen?" Lorelai motioned for them.  
  
"Umm… were are going to make this short and sweet." Katie said.  
  
"We Love You both." They said at the same time before turning around to see that their seats were still behind them.  
  
"Ok, Katerina? Are you ready?"  
  
Katerina walked around the table to Johnny who was talking to Drew, Tristan's attractive cousin. She bent over and whispered something into Johnny's ear. Katerina then proceeded to walk over to the stage with Johnny following her.  
  
"I am kind of at a loss for words so I asked Johnny if she would do me this favor. So Rory and Tristan would you please come to the dance floor. You too are the cutest couple I have ever seen. I hope that you two have a long and happy relationship. So this song goes out to you, I hope you enjoy." Katerina walked down the stage and gave the microphone to Johnny and went back to the table.  
  
Johnny started the song and Rory and Tristan started to dance.  
  
"Remember when we never needed each other.  
  
The best of friends like sister and brother.  
  
We understood we'd never be alone.  
  
Those days are gone now I want so much.  
  
The night is long and I need your touch.  
  
Don't know what to say never meant to feel this way.  
  
Don't wanna be alone tonight.  
  
What can I do to make you mine falling so hard.  
  
So fast this time what did I say.  
  
What did you do?  
  
How did I fall in love with you?  
  
(Ooh, ho)  
  
I hear your voice and I start to tremble.  
  
Brings back the child that I resemble.  
  
I cannot pretend that we can still be friends.  
  
Don't wanna be alone tonight.  
  
What can I do to make you mine?  
  
Falling so hard so fast this time.  
  
What did I say?  
  
What did you do?  
  
How did I fall in love with you  
  
Oh I want to say this right.  
  
And it has to be tonight.  
  
Just need you to know, oh yeah  
  
I don't wanna live this life.  
  
I don't wanna say goodbye.  
  
With you I wanna spend  
  
The rest of my life.  
  
What can I do to make you mine?  
  
Falling so hard, so fast, this time.  
  
What did I say?  
  
What did you do?  
  
How did I fall in love with you?  
  
What can I do to make you mine?  
  
Falling, so hard, so fast, this time.  
  
Everything's changed we never knew.  
  
How did I fall in love with you?"  
  
  
  
Rory and Tristan danced all night. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Tristan and Rory couldn't have asked for a better night. Rory promised her grandfather and Luke a dance and she kept that promise. Tristan was asked to dance by Emily and Lorelai. Both of them told him that if he hurt her there'd be a consequence. But he wasn't worried. Before Rory and Tristan went up to their room they dance the last slow song to Lonestars' Amazed. Once the song was over thirty they said their good-byes and went to their room that they had booked for the evening. Their flight for Europe wasn't until eleven the next morning. But they didn't mind it.  
  
~~~~~ Independence Inn ~~~~~  
  
Once they had made it up the stairs they were out of breath. Lorelai had let them take the honeymoon suite. They told her that she was making a fuss out of it. But Lorelai had insisted. They opened the door to inside.  
  
"Rory, I think it was all worth it." Tristan tried to get out.  
  
"Wow, my mom had changed it a lot." She said from the view from the doorway.  
  
"Shall we?" Tristan said opening his arms to her.  
  
"We shall." Rory rapped her arms around his neck. Tristan took Rory around the waist and picked her up.  
  
"Wow, would you look at the size of that bed! It looks like double the size of my parents bed." Tristan hollered as he walked them into the room. He sort of dropped her at the same time.  
  
Rory watched Tristan run over to the bed to test it out. "Ouch." Rory said as she tried to stand up in her dress.  
  
"Oh, Rory I'm sorry. So do you find my sexy?" Tristan said as he sat up and started to unbutton his shirt.  
  
Rory just started to laugh. "Oh, I do. But I think I need to take a shower before we start."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea." Tristan said with a big smile. " I think I might join you."  
  
"That sounds like fun." Rory slowly walked over to him. She gave him a kiss, a slow and tender kiss. She gradually deepened the kissed. She then stopped herself and motioned for him to unbutton her dress.  
  
Tristan placed his hands on her shoulders and gently lowered them to the buttons. His hands were a little clumsy but he finally had gotten all of them unbuttoned.  
  
Rory turned around and stepped out of her dress. Tristan had watched with his mouth wide open. Rory walked up to him and placed her hands on his belt buckle. She started to unbuckle his belt; he finished unbuttoning he shirt. On the floor now were his belt and shirt and the wedding dress. Rory hadn't moved her hands from his waist. Tristan placed his hand on her cheeks and pulled her close. Rory was playing with his belt loops and the bottom of his undershirt. Tristan kissed her and she couldn't control her hands she had taken the bottom of his shirt and moved it up his chest. They had parted their lips so that Rory could get the shirt over Tristan's head. As soon the shirt was off of his head they had resumed kissing. Tristan's hands had worked their way to Rory's underwear. He had a little trouble with it at first but then got a handle on it. Rory was practically naked and Tristan was still in his pants. She did the honor of unbutton them and giving them a little push. Then his pants dropped to the floor.  
  
They had stopped kissed for a minute to take a breather. She had looked down at his underwear. " Tighty-whiteys?"  
  
"What can I say? Today was laundry day."  
  
"I see." She kissed him one more time on the lips before he moved down to her neck.  
  
He decided to take this over to the bed. He walked her over very slowly to the bed that was two steps away. He then stopped kissing her on the neck and laid her onto the bed.  
  
Rory and Tristan had went at it for a good 2 hours. Tristan had wanted to since he saw her in her wedding. Rory dreamt of this the night before. So she was ready.  
  
Rory was gasping and panting. She was trying to keep up with Tristan. She couldn't keep quiet. Everything that Tristan did to her felt so sharp but also so right. She didn't was him to stop. Tristan started to gradually slow down. Then he rolled onto his back right next to his beautiful wife.  
  
"Tristan, sweetheart you know I love you. But why did you stop?" Rory said as she laid her head on chest.  
  
"I love you, too. But do you think I should use all my energy for you now?" Tristan said.  
  
"I'm sorry you're tired." Rory said. "Let's go to sleep. You need your rest for the honeymoon week."  
  
"I hope you don't think I am doing this every night." Tristan told her in protest.  
  
"No are you kidding. We wouldn't always do this at night." Rory said. "I thought that we could do this during the day sometimes."  
  
"Look Rory I am starting to think you married me to take advantage of me."  
  
"Not at all. I value your opinion. I love you for you soul. I love you." Rory mumbled something about some of what he said was true.  
  
"Rory you have got to be kidding me."  
  
"What Tristan. Maybe I would like it if you gave pleasure. I guess I have just married a gay man. Since you don't want to have sex all the time."  
  
"I can't believe you would say that. I love you with my entire mind body and soul. And all you want from me is my body."  
  
"Well, I don't know what to think Tristan. But right now you pushed something. I need to take a walk." Rory crawled out of the bed and put her dress coat on top of her naked body. She opened the door and slammed it on the way out. Tristan just closed his eyes when she left thinking about what just happened. 


	28. The Family

NAME - Johanna(Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 28: The Family  
  
Once Rory got outside her suite and down to the lobby she had no idea where she was going. She also knew, if she went outside like that everyone would be suspicious. So she ran to the closet and pulled out an old looking hat. She put it on and went outside.  
  
"Where am I going?" Rory said to herself. As she was walking down the street, she kept on repeating. She couldn't pass her house. She had to go somewhere where she wouldn't get noticed and someplace that is totally not Rory.  
  
She walked into the direction of the gazebo, still repeating the question someone heard her. "You know that is a good question." A man wit a deep voice said to her who was sitting in the gazebo.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Rory asked him.  
  
"I'm just thinking. You're wedding was so beautiful. It could have been us."  
  
"I know it could have. Could have. Dean, I love you. But we just ourselves going in different directions. And you know it. Now I have Tristan. It just felt right, 12 hours ago. Now I just don't know." Rory started to break down and cry. She was shaking because it was so cold.  
  
Dean being the gentleman that he was took his arm and wrapped it around Rory's shoulders. She laid her head on his chest and just kept on crying.  
  
Dean couldn't bear to see her cry. He tried to comfort her but she was too upset. He then tilted her chin so he could see into her blue eyes. He had this advantage. He was a tad confused. * Should I take this or not.*  
  
"Dean." She said to him not knowing where she was taking this.  
  
"Yeah," He said right before she leaned towards him and kissed him.  
  
She couldn't believe what she had just done. All she knew was that she was angry at Tristan and would have done anything to get back at him.  
  
"Wait, Rory what are you doing?" Dean asked her.  
  
"Trying not to fight it. I think you should try it. Come on Dean. Is there a place close by where we can go?"  
  
"And do what?"  
  
"You know what." Rory said. "Let's go to your house. Is anyone home?"  
  
"No, actually everyone went away this weekend." Dean said. He was going to say something but Rory stopped him.  
  
"Great let's go."  
  
"Hold up Rory. Why are we going to my house? You should be going to Tristan."  
  
"But I feel like going to your house."  
  
"Fine, we'll go over to the house but we are just going so you have a place to sleep."  
  
"I was hoping someone to sleep with." Rory said in a whisper as they got up from the gazebo and started to walk to Dean's house.  
  
~~~~~ Dean's House ~~~~~  
  
Dean had a little trouble getting the door open. He was nervous about what Rory wanted to do. He thought that he might have read her all wrong and she really just wanted a place to sleep.  
  
"Thanks for taking me back here, Tristan."  
  
"Rory are you ok?" Dean asked with a concerned looked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine why?"  
  
"Because you just called me Tristan."  
  
"Oh, did I." Rory said with an innocent face. "Well, that was a fluke."  
  
"Okay Rory, I believe you."  
  
"I'm sorry Dean." Rory said as she walked to the couch in the room and sat down. " I will try to make it up to you."  
  
"Make what up, Rory?" Dean said as he sat down next to her.  
  
"You know how much I appreciate you. I must have let you down so many times."  
  
"Rory, no need too." Dean said. He started to say something else but Rory didn't want to hear it. In less then a moment Rory had leaned into his space and kissed him on the lips.  
  
She had full control of everything, at first. Dean started to push her away but it didn't work. Rory had just pushed her body that was covered in only the coat on top of Dean.  
  
Dean had no control over what was happening, or going to happen. It looked to him that Rory was determined for something to happen. He didn't want it to happen. Rory was a newlywed and friends with Dean again. He didn't want to change that. But it did.  
  
~~~~~~~ An Hour Later ~~~~~~~  
  
It was about an hour later after the encounter and Dean was asleep on the couch. Rory was just sitting on a nearby couch; she couldn't believe what she just did. "We're just friends." She whispered to him. She repeated it one last time, "We're just friends." She put on her coat and left his house on Peach Street.  
  
From Peach Street to the Independence Inn was about 6 big blocks. She didn't want to tell Tristan about what had happened with Dean but she had all that time to think about it.  
  
It was about twenty of three at this point in the morning. She didn't want to wake Tristan up, but she still didn't want to talk to her mother; who would probably find something wrong about Rory being home. So, Rory decided to go but to Tristan. She knew it would be better to wake him other then to not talk to him at all.  
  
She was on the honeymoon suite floor of the Independence Inn. She was pacing back and forth in her trench coat. She was debating on going in. But she didn't have to. Tristan was still awake and heard her pacing so, he had opened the door for her. She was pacing for a few good long minutes before she had noticed Tristan.  
  
"Hi." He said to her with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.  
  
"Hi." She said back to him as she was walking slowly to him.  
  
With puppy dog eyes Tristan just looked at her and wrapped them both in the blanket. "I love you." Was exactly what he had said as he looked into her eyes. He then slowly moved in to give her a kiss. 


	29. The Baby

NAME - Johanna(Joey)  
  
E-MAIL - Jroses716@aol.com  
  
SPOILERS - None  
  
SUMMARY - predicted future, Rory and Tristan meet again, and they still have their problems.  
  
RATING - PG-13  
  
CONTENT - Some sexual content  
  
PAIRING OR CHARACTER - Rory/Tristan, Answer to a challenge  
  
DISCLAIMER - I don't own the characters, the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the real writers of the show own them.  
  
Author Note: will be a few chapters.  
  
Chapter 29: The Baby  
  
~~~~~~ Their Apartment ~~~~~~  
  
It's been two months since they had gotten married. Married life couldn't be so sweet. Tristan and Rory both loved to wake up in each others arms. Life was so perfect that Rory was generous enough to give her apartment to Cat and Annie, so that they would be close.  
  
Life was just perfect. Lorelai was about 9 weeks pregnant Rory and Tristan's relationship couldn't have been better, besides the whole 1 argument, but that was the past. They were still in love.  
  
One day when Tristan and Rory were getting ready for work together, Rory didn't feel so good. So she told Tristan to go to work without her. He gave his wife a kiss and left. Within five minutes after he left, Rory ran to the bathroom. She looked terrible. She was flushed and she felt tired all of a sudden.  
  
It was Monday morning at 10 o'clock, she thought to herself. * I need to get out of here.* So decided to go to her old apartment to find of her friends.  
  
~~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~~~  
  
"Annie are you and Dean going out tonight?" Cat yelled from the kitchen.  
  
"Why do you want to know?" Annie screamed back.  
  
" Katie was thinking about making plans to go to chilli's tonight, if you and dean aren't doing anything, you want to tag?"  
  
"You're kidding right?" Cat said as she walked into the room with a bowl of Popcorn. "Chilli's? Haven't they gotten sick of it??"  
  
Annie had no idea what was so bad with Chilli's. "Come with us it would be fun. Forget that it is Chilli's, just go to have a good time?"  
  
"Is that Katie on the phone? Give it here." Cat took the phone and started to talk to Katie. "Katie, I refuse to Chilli's any more."  
  
"Sorry Cat, but it was not my idea. Gretchen wants to go to talk to her friend from church who works there." Katie said.  
  
"I don't care. I refuse to go. I don't ca- wait! Did you just say talk to her friend from church. Oh how can I not resist. I am coming. This is going to be great, we can make fun of Gretchen. Ok, I am so there." When Cat was talking to Katie, she had heard the call waiting and she didn't want to forget it could have been important. " Katie can you hold on a sec."  
  
"Yeah sure." Katie said really quickly before Cat got off.  
  
"Hello? Cat here."  
  
"Hey Cat." Rory said with sadness in her voice.  
  
"Rory what's up? It's noon, where are you? Are you home?"  
  
"Nothing really, I am home, I am not feeling so great." Rory said almost in tears.  
  
" Do you want me to come on over? I am not doing anything. I'll be over there in two." Cat said before handing the phone to Annie and switched it to Katie.  
  
~~~~~~ Rory and Tristan's ~~~~~~  
  
Rory was sitting on her couch when Cat came barging in. "Rory what's up?" Cat said as she gave her a hug.  
  
"God! You have been spending way to much time with my mother, let me breath please."  
  
"Oh sorry." Cat said as she loosened her grip. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Well, lets see. I am tired, I'm irritable, and I can no longer maintain my sunny disposition. What else do you want to know?" Rory said as she started to cry uncontrollably.  
  
All Cat could do was hold her. After Rory calmed down, Cat asked " Do you think your bipolar?  
  
Rory started to crack a smile and laugh. " You know what maybe that's it, I think my doctor has to run some tests, you want to bring me?"  
  
"Sure Rory. Let's go." Cat lead Rory out of the apartment and towards her car.  
  
~~~~~~ Doctor's ~~~~~~  
  
Rory and Cat had gotten to the doctors with no problem at all. Rory felt nervous when she went to sign in. That her hand was shaking when she was writing her name. All Cat could do was try to keep Rory calm.  
  
"Rory DuGrey?" The nurse said from the doorway, as Cat and Rory were sitting in the lounge. " The doctor is ready to see you now."  
  
"I'll wait out here." Cat said as Rory got up from her seat.  
  
"Thanks Cat." Was all she said as She followed the nurse into the room.  
  
It took the doctor a few minutes to get to Rory, but she wasn't in any hurry. When the doctor came in, she asked her what were Rory's symptoms and when did this start. Rory answered all her questions. The last thing that the doctor had asked of Rory was a pee test. Rory let the doctor do what she had to so that she could see what was wrong. The doctor let her go into the lounge to tell Cat was going on, since she had to stay there for the results. It was only going to take 10 minutes. So Cat then went into the doctor's office with Rory to keep her company for ten minutes.  
  
When the doctor came back, she asked Rory, " Do you want the good news? Or the bad news?"  
  
" Just tell me." Rory said before adding, " Don't hurt me."  
  
"Well, the good news is your pregnant. The bad news no coffee for 9 months."  
  
"What!" Rory exclaimed. She then started to get teary eyed. But she didn't know what the tears meant. Joy or sadness?  
  
"You're going to be a mom."  
  
"Congrats Rory!" Cat said to her as she gave her a hug.  
  
"Thanks doc." Rory said as she got ready to leave.  
  
There was silence in the car ride home. Rory couldn't think straight. Her thoughts were all "out there," nothing seemed right. Before they turned onto the block before Rory's apartment, Cat asked Rory a question, " Are you excited?"  
  
"About what? About being pregnant? About bringing a life into this world? About tell my husband? About tell my mother and Luke? About telling my grandparent? About telling the father? What?" Rory said in one long breath. " How? How? How?" 


	30. The Results

Authors Note: I know everyone probably hates me right now, I can understand that. Moreover, understand that in my head this sounds so much better then on paper. I just hope you can forgive me for not making everything ok. I don't have that much time to write a few hours a week or a few a month. Nevertheless, I am hoping to update with a chapter a month. So don't think this is the last of me.  
Chapter 30: The Results  
  
Cat was just staring out into space when Rory told her all that. She was trying to comprehend it all. Cat was so confused as always. " What is going on?"  
  
"Nothing Cat." Rory said with tears streaming down her face. "I can't deal with this. This is too early. I am not ready to do this!"  
  
Cat looked at her with a blank stare. "Do what exactly?"  
  
"Start a family of course. Or possibly break one." Cat was now shaking her head to what Rory was talking about.  
  
"Well, let's go home and think about this." Rory said. "Cat, turn on the car and promise me that you will keep this a secret."  
  
"I promise." Cat said while starting up the car.  
  
Rory was dropped off at her apartment. Cat had helped her into the place just to be sure that everything things was ok with Rory. By the time they got into the apartment, Cat decided to break the silence again.  
  
"So when was the last time that you had sex with Tristan?" Cat said.  
  
"Funny Cat." Rory shot back.  
  
"Seriously!" Cat said trying not to laugh.  
  
"If you really need to know this past weekend." Rory said almost about to cry.  
  
Cat tried to comfort her, "Rory its ok. When exactly did he, the doctor say that you conceived?" "The doctor said on or around my wedding night." Rory said between sobs.  
  
"Ok, then, now can you talk to me about the statement that you made, 'telling the father?'"  
  
Rory didn't know how to say exactly. * I slept with Dean * No that would be too harsh. "Well on my honeymoon Tristan pushed me in the arms of someone else. Then again, I was somewhat drunk, so I could have just stayed where I was. However, I needed to get out for some air." Rory managed to get out.  
  
Cat couldn't help the next question out of her mouth, "Who was the person?"  
  
'Dean' she murmured, hoping that Cat would hear her and she wouldn't have to repeat it, but she did. "Dean! Ok, it was Dean."  
  
"Are you sure you went as far as sex?" Cat asked.  
  
" He made me feel special for once." Rory replied.  
  
"Well, maybe you need to recall that night with him to straighten everything out." Cat said to her as to not push her into something that she didn't want to do.  
  
" I think that is the best thing I or We could ever think of. " Rory said looking in her phonebook. " Ok, I'll call now. Stay for support, Please?!?"  
  
"Duh," Cat said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
Rory called Dean's apartment in Stars Hollow; however, he wasn't home. She left a message. * Where could he be?* She thought.  
  
Cat then realized that Dean was over at Rory's old apartment with Annie. "Why don't you come over to the apartment and ask Annie?"  
  
"Oh My God." Rory said in a shriek. "I totally forgot. What if I ruin their relationship! I would want to... to hurt her."  
  
"Rory, calm down. I will make sure that Annie will understand everything." Cat told her on the way out the door.  
  
~~~~ Rory's Apartment ~~~~  
  
Dean and Annie were just hanging around the house when Cat came in. Annie was on the phone with Johnny in the kitchen. Dean was watching television. Cat saw him and motioned him towards the door. "Dean, Rory's outside."  
  
"Why is she outside?" He questioned her.  
  
"Because she needs to talk to you." Cat snapped. "I'm right here." Dean said.  
  
"Alone, privately." Cat said in a stern tone.  
  
"Oh." He whispered. Not knowing what was going on, he screamed to Annie. "Ann, I gotta run, I got a page from my boss. See ya tonight." He closed the door quietly. He found Rory waiting by the elevators. "What's going on?" He said.  
  
"What happened when we met up on my wedding night?" Rory blurted at him.  
  
"Let's go to your apartment and talk." Dean said as he pushed the elevator's down button.  
  
~~~~ Inside Rory's Apartment ~~~~  
  
"Hey Annie!" Cat screamed from the living room. "I'm home!"  
  
"What's up, how is Rory?" Annie said while still on the phone with Johnny.  
  
"She's doing Ok." Cat said while trying to look busy reading a magazine. * Rory will be fine * she said to herself. Only now, she believed it. 


End file.
